


Glass Marble Heart

by Mayonne



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abduction, F/M, Fluff, Gaster is a gentleman, Hostage Situations, Human Souls, Human/Monster Romance, Kidnapping, Lots of Original Characters - Freeform, No Smut, Post-Pacifist Route, Racism, Romance, Slow Build, Violence, W. D. Gaster is not related to Skelebros, Weddings, and a nerd, human magic, monster hate groups, monster magic, monster souls, not sorry you sinners, totally SFW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 16:21:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 64,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6617617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mayonne/pseuds/Mayonne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Monsters have been a part of human society for nearly two years, and things are balanced between okay and so-so. There's always bound to be resistance to change. Sara was just one human who was willing to work alongside monsters and live a normal life: work, study, and have a social life. But that never makes for an interesting story. It's when she encounters a particular monster that things begin to change for her, and thus her life becomes very...very...interesting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ...You're Different

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, it's been forever and a day since I've written a fanfiction. Been a little less time, however, since I've written anything really. So, I apologize in advance if my writing's not up to par. Scraping off the rust by writing this story so I just hope y'all like it.

She was met with a variety of smells that left her with a smile on her face. As the door closed behind her Sara couldn't help but pause for a moment, taking in a deep breath and letting the combined smells of sugar, cinnamon, and bread put her into a momentary euphoria. It was a nice way to start the day, even if it was still too early in her opinion.

"Hello!" she called out knowing that she wasn't alone in the bakery, since she heard all sorts of noise to go with the smells; metal scraping against metal, the beeping of the ovens being set, the whirring sound of a blender.

"Morning Sara!" a light, chipper voice piped up. Appearing from around the corner came what looked to be a mix between a tiny ghost and fairy---a Whimsun. The monster had a happy smile on its face as it flew towards the girl. However, stopping just short of flying straight into Sara's face the Whimsun hugged her face with a giggle.

"Hey Whinnie," Sara greeted back, giggling herself at the energy and sweetness of the monster she'd come to work with for the past few months. 

Sara, some months past, had landed herself a pretty sweet job (both metaphorically and literally). She worked at a bakery that specialized in soft and chewy cinnamon rolls that were special made into a particular shape, namely that of a bunny. Other treats available included a variety of cookies and brownies. The bunny shaped cinnamon rolls, or cinnabunnies as they were called by her boss, were the biggest hit. Working alongside her were Whinnie the Whimsun, as well as her boss, Lulu. Lulu was also a monster, a rabbit with violet colored fur, who held herself casually yet with just a hint of spunk. 

Now, the idea of working with monsters would have been a strange thing, had they not suddenly appeared from below Mt. Ebott nearly two years ago. The first few months were the craziest, since human society now had creatures of all shapes and sizes hoping to integrate themselves into society. The thing was, humanity was so shocked at their being _sentient_ that questions and hesitations had be quickly overcome. It was after the year mark of their emergence that things really began to settle down and relations between humans and monsters started to smooth out.

But there would always be resistance to change. As a large percentage of humanity accepted monsters, it seemed an almost equally large percentage of humans refused to accept them. Hate and anti-monster groups formed. Tensions rose again, but as time went on it wasn't just between humans and monsters, it also came between humans and their divided opinions and feelings about how to treat monsters. There were the supporters, the humans who simply treated their new neighbors and allies as such; and then there were those who sought for reasons to complain.

Sara was one of the many who welcomed monsters with open arms. Sure, there were a few who would cause her to startle upon first meeting, but the girl was enough of a child at heart to be just fascinated by them rather than let herself remain scared for long. Also helped that a lot of them just seemed so darn cute.

"About time you showed up," came Lulu's voice, though she herself did not appear. The rabbit's tone was a little stern, but there was also a hint of relief in it. 

"Sorry I'm late, Lu," the human apologized as she made a guilty expression. "I'm here now, though!"

"And a good thing too. I'm going to need an extra pair of hands. I've got buns that need to go in the oven. After that get started on some chocolate and double chocolate mix." 

Sara gave a "yes ma'am" as she readjusted her blonde hair into a less messy ponytail. She threw the custom patterned shop apron over her head, tied the back securely to herself, and then went into the usual routine of clocking in and getting to work. She didn't always need to come in extra early but Lulu had asked for her aid and it was an excuse to keep improving on her baking skills so who was she to refuse? Not to mention having an awesome and unique boss and co-worker. 

Every treat made at Bunny Lu's Bakery was made from scratch. That was something about her goods that Lulu remained adamant about. There wasn't going to be any pre-packaged nonsense in her store. So, when Sara was initially hired months ago she had to go through the process of not just learning the recipes that Lulu had in mind, she had to also make sure to memorize them. Still, Sara managed to sneak in printed copies of the recipes and kept them off to the side in a thin binder just in case she blanked anywhere. And it was a good thing she had done so since that had occurred a few times already. Whinnie made use of it too sometimes. 

The morning was a quiet one as the girl and the Whimsun worked together to measure out ingredients, mix, beat, stir, place, and bake the cookies needed before the bakery actually opened. Lulu kept herself busy by making the cinnabunnies that made her shop, both above and underground, steadily popular. The stop remained fairly quiet even after officially opening for the day, but that was only the usual calm before the storm. As typical lunch hours approached more and more people and monsters showed up to get a little treat for themselves. Lu herself would usually handle the front at that point while Sara stuck to the back with Whinnie. 

"So, how are we doing up front?" Sara asked, peeking her head around the corner that blocked the view from display case up front and the actual bakery behind. Light dustings of flour, powdered sugar, and brushes of melted chocolate could be seen on her apron. "Need anything?"

Lu watched a moment longer as the last customer to walk in walked off as they took a bite of their cinnabunny. The rabbit smiled herself upon seeing the pleased smile of the human. That particular young lady was beginning to become a regular. She then turned around and smiled straight at Sara. "Actually, yeah." She broke eye contact. "Whinnie!"

There was the soft tinkling that was the buzz of her wings before she appeared. "Yes?"

"Could you handle the front for a while? Sara, you're going to make some cinnabunnies."

The girl squealed in glee as she clapped her hands. "I'll get them _just right_ , I swear!"

"We'll see," Lu replied, smiling in amusement at the girl's excitement. Whinnie was just too small to handle making cinnabunnies, so after she had hired Sara to help out in the bakery she'd kept a personal eye on how the human made her special buns. Lu had to admit that Sara got better and better with each training session, but the buns still lacked a certain something. She figured that with time that something would finally make itself known.

"I should have some more dough stored in the fridge. Go grab that and get kneading." 

"Yes, ma'am!"

• • •

Since she had been called in early Lulu was nice enough to let the girl get off early as well. It was a good thing too since dark clouds had been rolling in for the past hour now and continued further along towards the other side of the horizon, teasing the earth below with the prospect of rain but not quite yet. Sara gave a sigh as she clocked out and walked out the door of the bakery with her soiled apron slung over her arm. It wasn't that dirty, truthfully, but it was a habit now to bring it home with her. 

Sara wasn't needed extra early in the morning tomorrow, but she was still needed nonetheless during regular work hours. She didn't mind. It gave her more time to relax and enjoy her summer a little more. The mall was still rather busy, people coming and going, and a radio station tuned in for some ambient music that echoed softly through the air. Sara recognized the music and sang some of the lyrics to herself as she made her way back to her car. She had parked a bit further away out of consideration for everyone else who was going to do actual shopping. However, the sky above made the girl's usually leisurely walk speed up a bit. It really did look like it was going to rain soon, and she had the feeling it was going to be a downpour. 

"Man, what is it?"

"It's a monster, idiot."

"I know _that_ , but what kind of monster? It's so weird."

Sara slowed her steps until she stopped entirely, pulling a confused face. The voices sounded like older kids, maybe teenagers, and they were far enough off for her to have to listen in a bit more closely to be sure she wasn't just hearing things. 

"Guys, stop it, it's so gross. What if it spits that stuff at us?"

"Look at it, it's not fighting back. Chill."

"Still..."

Were some kids picking on a monster? Sara's expression shifted from confusion to annoyance. Just because monsters were a lot more friendly than humans were didn't mean that should be exploited. Her heart went out to whatever monster was being bothered and she began to stride towards the sound of the voices. It led her towards some distant corner of the mall that had nobody walking around or even visible, save for four kids all huddled around something. Sara guessed by their size that they were probably preteens. There was something trying to shift away from their feet.

"Dude, pour your drink on it. I wanna see what it does," said one kid, chuckling at the very idea. 

"Hey!" Sara blurted out. They all snapped their heads around to look at Sara, startled by her making herself known. She did not look pleased. "Leave it alone," she said, her voice authoritative. They all just continued to stare. The one child with the drink in his hand dared to have the audacity to keep staring while moving his hand to actually pour the contents of his can onto the monster. 

"Don't you dare!" she barked suddenly jogging towards them. The kids startled again and actually decided to run off this time. Sara slowed her pace and stopped in front of whatever monster they had been harassing, her gaze following them until went off into a different store. Sara remained looking displeased, figuring that they were going to act like nothing happened. "Jeez, each generation..." she muttered, never quite finishing her thought.

"Hey, are y--"

She had looked down towards the monster, focusing on the compassion it needed after such treatment. But upon seeing it she couldn't help but feel a little startled herself, like she had done with the small group of kids. Sara stepped back in surprise, raising a single eyebrow.

"...you're different."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, an explanation:  
> I've named the Snowdin shopkeeper Lulu as sort of a poke to children's rhymes, similar to that of Muffet and her being a spider. Lulu's name came after thinking of the "Little Bunny Foo Foo" rhyme, but no way was I going to name her Foo Foo. Or Fifi, or whatever. Whinnie's name was just because I figured I'd name Whimsuns with W names just for laughs. Thanks for reading!


	2. Gaster

She had seen a variety of monsters ever since they appeared, but nothing quite like _this._

This one looked quite malleable, its black shape reminding Sara of oil or tar. The only difference amidst the blackness were what looked to be a pair of hands as well as a face. At least, she hoped it was a face. It looked like there had been two eyes, but one was so drooped it appeared closed, while a dull grey-purple dot of light shone from the other. What appeared to be thin cracks or lines--Sara couldn't tell--rose from one eye and slid down from the other. 

She remained staring for a moment longer remaining unsure as to how to handle this monster. It just looked odd, thus it made her somewhat wary. But, it had not fought back when it was being harassed so it chose not to be hostile despite the situation it was in. So, it was safe to assume that it wouldn't prove hostile to her either. 

The monster shifted back, moving away from Sara, causing her to startle again. The way its black form moved made the girl think it actually had a body under there if only almost fully submerged. 

"I apologize...for my appearance," it said. It sounded masculine. 

Sara's mismatched eyes widened. "So you can talk."

"Yes." It--he--shifted back again, drawing closer to the lonely lamppost near the very edge of the walkway that wound around the front of every shop in the mall, making it safe and easy for pedestrians to meander about. 

Sara continued to watch this monster, both curious and oddly fascinated, her mouth slightly agape as the blackness that she guessed made up his body shifted until he began to rise slowly in height. He grabbed onto the lamppost for stability, confirming Sara's assumption that what she had observed earlier were hands. However, the blackness of his body somehow solidified to a point where he appeared to have an arm connected said hand. It was then that she realized that he appeared to have a turtleneck sweater on. It was as if the dark substance that made up the majority of this monster was like some kind of coat or blanket and the rest of how he really looked would be under it if removed. 

"I want to thank you for aiding me," he said. His voice was gentle, albeit hesitant, as if unsure he should even be talking to her. 

Sara couldn't stop staring. He had made himself to a height just higher than her own, not that she was very tall to begin with. And the way the blackness had solidified confirmed her other idea of how he appeared to have an actual body underneath all the black. Although the shape of a physical body was lost around what looked to be his waist he had given himself enough shape to form arms that connected to surprisingly broad shoulders and a defined upside down triangle shape of a torso. 

"Um..."

Sara blinked, suddenly feeling embarrassed as she realized that she had been caught staring. How long had she been staring? She didn't want to know the answer. "Oh jeez, I'm so sorry. I just...I've never seen a monster like you before."

The monster turned his head away--it looked more like a skull the longer she had stared--and looked down towards the ground. Sara watched as he made a face, though she wasn't quite sure how to interpret it. From her perspective it looked like...loneliness? 

"There are no others like me," he replied quietly. 

"I'm so sorry," Sara said, her voice quiet as well, but sincere. A moment later she brought her hand out, bringing a smile back to her face. "I'm Sara!"

This time it was the monster's turn to appear startled. The solidity of his upper half faltered a bit but held a second later, and although she didn't see it through the increasing gloom of storm clouds overhead there was an ever so faint tint of grey-purple across his face. A smile spread across his face a moment later as he took Sara's hand. He brought his other hand behind him and dipped forward in a half bow. Sara clapped her other hand over her mouth to cover the awkward, yet girly, giggle that escaped her at the gesture. She certainly hadn't expected that. The gesture made her think that he belonged in a Jane Austin novel. 

"My name is Gaster."

"It's nice to meet you, Gaster," she said, still wearing the awkward, crooked smile on her face. 

Gaster released her hand, rising a bit more in height and making Sara have to tilt her head back slightly to keep looking up at his face. However, as she did so she also felt the cool ping of water hit her forehead. Realization struck her a second later as she looked up towards the sky and viewed the dark grey sky above. 

"Oh, shoot, I need to go before it starts raining!" Sara gave a quick wave of her hand, backing away before turning around and jogging back towards her car. "It was nice to meet you, Gaster!" she called out as she looked behind her one last time to bid the monster farewell. 

Thus Gaster was left on his own. He quietly looked up at the sky as well, holding his hands behind him as he felt the raindrops begin to fall more steadily upon his skull. The girl's haste to depart was not that big of a surprise to him, since his time on the surface he had seen just how busy humans were and how it seemed that they were encouraged to maintain a hasty pace to their lives. He could relate, to an extent. Gaster remained looking towards the sky as the rain continued to fall. It was curious, however, how there was no splash of water if any drops fell upon the blackness of his body. Rather, they just vanished. 

• • •

The rain would not let up in the least after it truly began to fall in earnest. Sara had managed to avoid the worst of it by the time she made it back to her one bedroom apartment and could watch in comfort as the rain came first as a pattering, then a drizzle, and then quickly become the downpour she had guessed it would be. For hours and hours the rain continued to fall heavily, creating a kind of white noise that Sara couldn't help but pause to listen to every now and then. Turning her head to look out the sliding glass doors that led out onto the balcony she'd watch the rain fall, getting a moment of peace in her head as she stared out. 

There was no such peace in her head as she drove to work the following day. It had rained for the remainder of the day, going on through the night, and was still falling even now as she made her way towards the bakery. And, of course, she had been in such a rush to get out that she forgot her umbrella back in the apartment so she had to make a mad dash from her car towards the shop. 

By the time she got in she wasn't sure walking or running would have made a difference as she saw how wet she got anyway. 

"Tsk, great," she muttered.

"You're not the one with fur, sweetheart," Lu commented, giving a half smile mixed with a half grimace. The rabbit was brushing off her arms, flinging droplets of water into a sink before working on her ears. Her fur, usually a bright violet color was now almost an eggplant purple due to how soaked she had gotten. 

"How's Whinnie doing?"

"She's fine. Her wings are more useful than for just flying around apparently. Girl got herself dry real quick. Wish I could say the same thing about myself."

It was then that Sara heard the tinkling of the Whimsun's wings. Taking a glance into the back of the shop, sure enough, Whinnie was as dry as could be and happily going about measuring out the dry ingredients into oversized bowls. Sara gave a half-hearted glare and a playful pout. 

"Lucky."

Due to the heavy rain there was less activity within the shop than was usual. Not many wanted to brave the rain in order to just leave and get soaked soon thereafter. Although, there were a few who after making their purchase stuck around inside the shop watching the rain as they ate their choice of treat. Cookies seemed to be the treat of choice that day only barely beating out Lulu's usually popular cinnabunnies. 

There did come a point where the rain did lessen a bit, and it lasted long enough for more people to show up, but then the rain came down again as if mocking everything with the idea that it was going to end soon. Sara had been adding fresh cookies to the display case as she watched a cluster of young women exit one shop on the opposite side of the pedestrian's path, pulling hoods and hands up to cover themselves against the lightened rainfall before it all suddenly came down again. Sara had winced imagining them shrieking and giggling as they scrambled to another shop before they got soaked. 

By the time she was done working for the day and already clocked out the rain was still coming down. Sara peeked her head out the front door of the store, little Whinnie peeking out with her and looking worried at possibly flying through all that again. The air outside was refreshingly cool in comparison to the warmth of the bakery inside. It almost gave Sara goosebumps on her exposed skin. 

"You've got to be kidding me," Sara muttered. 

"Well, there's no thunder, so there's that," Whinnie chimed in. "And maybe it'll let up again."

Sara's mismatched eyes glanced to the side, giving a small smirk at the monster's words. "One can hope."

Unfortunately, the rain just kept coming down. Lulu went off, offering her small umbrella to Whinnie. The rabbit offered to aid Sara as well, but she graciously declined the offer, knowing that there wasn't enough space for all three of them without somebody getting significantly wetter than the others. Besides, it was just water so there wasn't much harm in getting that wet, just discomfort. 

Sara watched Lulu and Whinnie go off into the rain, trotting along and splashing through the puddles that had formed from the extensive rainfall before she dared to go into the rain herself. Using the backside of her apron as a cover Sara braced herself and went out. The apron helped a bit, but there was nothing she could do about her sneakers and jeans. She could feel the fabric turn cold and heavy against her shins, clinging to her skin as it go progressively wetter. 

She clicked her tongue in annoyance as she dove under the awning of another store. In her haste to try and get to her car she forgot to fish out her keys from her bag and thus had to do that now. Better under some shelter than at her car where she would get assaulted by the unforgiving rain. The girl practically chomped down on the key ring as she put her keys in her mouth in preparation to run out into the rain again, keeping her hands free to maintain the cover of her apron over herself. However, in the corner of her eye, as she was just about to step out, she saw a black figure not too far off. 

What was that monster's name again? She just met him yesterday... He seemed to be observing the sky, the horizon, and not the least bit bothered by the rain. Was he even getting wet? Sara couldn't tell.

"Gaster!" she called out, suddenly remembering, dropping her keys into her hand.

He looked in the direction where his name was called, and saw Sara looking at him almost curiously. His expression, which had been neutral but leaning slightly towards peaceful, shifted to look something like happiness. At least, that's what Sara managed to interpret from the one half of his face that actually managed to move and show expression. That grey-purple glow in his eye was oddly piercing as she watched him approach. His rhythm made it look like he was actually walking even though the blackness from the waist down didn't show any leg movement. Once under the awning with her, she noticed how his skull was dripping rainwater while the rest of him appeared unaffected.

"What are you doing out there?" she asked.

"Simply observing," he replied calmly. "The world's weather and other natural processes continues to fascinate me."

"Observing? Out in the rain itself? You're soaked! Well, part of you is."

Gaster suddenly looked like he'd been caught getting his hand in the cookie jar. "I, uh..." 

He brought one hand from behind him and passed it down his face, his long slender finger bones catching some of the drops still lingering on his face and flicking them off. It was then that Sara noticed how his hand had a very distinct lack of substance in what would be the palm. She blinked at the circular hole in his hand, wondering how that could have happened. 

"Have you...have you been out there since yesterday?" she asked, though she fidgeted back and forth on her feet as she asked, feeling the squelching sensation of collected water in her socks and shoes. Her feet were going to prune at this rate. 

Gaster remained somewhat bent over to try and reduce his height. He was still taller than Sara remembered seeing him yesterday. The same hand he'd used to wipe off the rain from his face rubbed awkwardly at the back of his skull. 

"Y-yes."

"What?" Sara blurted out, startling the monster. He looked to have shrunk by an inch or two. Sara didn't notice as she was more concerned for the well-being of this quiet, gentle monster. Had he spent all night in the rain? Had he tried to find shelter? A new question formed on her mouth along with a sad thought that passed through her mind. "Do you have nowhere to go?"

Gaster held both hands behind him again, turning his head away to not look at the girl. "I...I do not."

Sara's brows furrowed as she looked up at Gaster with concern. Her eyes shifted back and forth between his figure and the pouring rain as she bit and chewed on her lip. An idea went into her head, and it wasn't one she usually considered but from what she knew about monsters and their behavior it wouldn't bite her in the butt later, would it? Eventually her own conscience told her to just try it. Besides, she was hungry, cold, wet, and her back was a little sore from standing and moving around on her feet for the past few hours. 

"Hey, uh, why don't you come with me?" she asked.

"Eh?"

"You can stay with me for a little while." Sara couldn't stop herself from giving an awkward, crooked smile at the situation she was putting herself in. "I mean, it's better than nowhere. My apartment's not very big, but I've had friends over for a few days before, and they've managed, so I figured maybe it'd do..." She kept rambling, her voice quiet and unsure in an attempt to keep herself from feeling any more awkward.

"I would greatly appreciate that...Sara." 

The girl's smile grew at the sound of her name, along with his acceptance of her offer. He gave her his own smile return, his expression gentle. Sara began to have the idea that this Gaster was more like a gentle giant than anything else she may have previously thought up. 

"Okay." She nodded her head towards the parking lot. "My car's just over there. C'mon."


	3. Two in One

The apartment was just slightly smaller than the average one-bedroom apartment, but it was enough space for Sara and the occasional guest, so long as they didn't mind sleeping on the floor or on the couch depending on their preference. The layout was mostly open, the kitchen and living room separated only by a shift in flooring. The kitchen had ivory linoleum flooring while the living room was dark wood with a few rugs thrown about to give some sense of traction and variation in texture. On the far side of the apartment were sliding glass doors that opened up to the balcony looking out to a quiet road with a lake off in the distance. It was easier to see the lake due to the rainfall having caused the water level to rise. 

The only real thing that broke the sense of openness in the apartment was the door off to the right side that led into Sara's room, and from there led into the one bathroom in the apartment. All in all it was a bit more space than she needed as she kept most of her personal and sentimental items within the bedroom itself, everything else was considered general use to her. Sara threw her soaked apron into the laundry room, which was really just another door next to the coat closet with the washer and dryer stacked on each other to conserve space. Sara was thankful she didn't have to work tomorrow. 

"Home, sweet, home," she said as she removed her shoes and socks, her already cool feet from soaking in rain water staying cold when they hit the linoleum. 

Gaster slowly, hesitantly, made his way into the apartment, keeping his hands held behind his back but remaining observant to everything around him. There wasn't much in personal decoration that Sara had done to really set the place apart as 'hers.' She never felt the need to, she was comfortable enough as she was. There were, however, some choice photos of herself as well as with friends and family placed here and there. 

"How long have you been here, if I may ask?" 

"Around four years now, I think," she replied, tossing her soaked socks into the washer and closing the lid but not yet getting the machine started. Still plenty of room for dirty laundry. "I got this place with my parent's help when I started college. On-campus housing was way too expensive." 

"You are a student? What do you study?" Gaster asked, his tone becoming more and more interested. 

"I was studying English--literature and stuff--but then I changed my major to history." Sara's tone was casual as she stretched, getting her back to pop a few times as she eased her spine and muscles from the day of work. Oh, she was looking forward to sleeping in. "Ever since you guys showed up, monsters I mean, I've gotten a lot more curious as to your relation to our human history." 

Gaster looked at her with increasing interest. Not many humans he had met took an interest in what was past, rather they were so focused on how to handle the now it was as if the history of humans and monsters once coexisting never happened. But he, like all monsters, knew that they had once been allies with one another. He appreciated that Sara was looking to remember that part of humanity's past. Also, her mention of being in college made him rethink her age. She had a youthful appearance and had estimated wrongly; now he guessed she was in her early to mid twenties. 

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab the extra pillow and blankets from my room," she said, disappearing for a moment to emerge later with said items. "And to think I almost convinced mom not to buy these," she muttered as she flopped the pillow onto the couch in the center of the living room and then the hastily folded blankets next to it. 

Gaster, who had been watching the rain fall through the sliding glass doors, looked back to Sara as she was depositing the pillow and blankets onto the couch. He wasn't used to being fussed over like this and the dull grey-purple hue appeared across his face again. "You need not worry yourself so much for my sake," he said. 

Sara looked up, looking him straight in the eye. "I'm doing this because I want to." 

There was a pregnant pause between them before Gaster's expression softened, giving her a hesitant but genuine smile. "You are...very kind." 

She brought her eyes down, breaking her gaze from his own. "I try to be," she said softly. 

Gaster took his own gaze away as well, looking back out to the rain. His gaze pierced beyond the rain itself and upon a greater canvas as he spoke up again. "I have observed many humans ever since coming to the surface. I have seen acts of kindness, but such acts are often lost amidst the selfishness and other such negativity. Your choosing to be kind makes you better than most. I know that we are little better than strangers, but I hope you hold onto that kindness. With the way things are now between our kind and yours we could use more kindness." 

Sara felt so embarrassed she could feel her face heating up. The way he was wording things made it feel like, to her, he was praising her for just trying to be nice and she couldn't quite wrap her head around why he'd do that. She was grateful that he wasn't looking at her because she just knew she was making an awkward face to go along with how awkward she was currently feeling. Eventually she managed to stutter out a 'thank you' before quickly excusing herself to her room. 

Once in the privacy of her room her first priority was to warm herself back up with a nice hot shower. Actually she'd have the water running so hot it would be almost scalding, leaving her skin pink and red from the heat. It also gave her some moments alone to try and think how she was going to handle the situation she had put herself in as she was now playing host to a monster she had met only yesterday. Sara had learned, though, that the majority of monsters were nice and weren't the kind of people take advantage of acts of kindness, acts that Gaster had seemingly praised her for just minutes ago. Sara heaved a sigh as she buried her face into her hands and let the hot water continue to pound against her back. 

"What do I do?" she asked herself, tilting her head back and slicking her soaked hair behind her. Thoughts swirled in her head and continued to do so even after she finished showering and got herself changed into a more comfortable set of clothing. Baggy, oversized sweats were always the way to go on a cool rainy day like this one. 

She was brought out of her thoughts momentarily when she was in the middle of throwing some leftovers into the microwave and noticed that Gaster had been very quiet the entire time. She noticed that he had taken an interest in some of the older textbooks she had held on to from previous years, taking his time to apparently read each page before turning it. She watched as the form of an upper body he had made from the blackness slowly relaxed, his height diminishing until he looked rather amorphous save for his head and hands. 

Sara offered some of her remaining leftovers to the monster, but he was so engrossed in the text that he didn't answer. She decided to leave him be, partly because she still wasn't entirely sure how to act around him also because he seemed to be managing himself just fine. The rest of the evening was a quiet one and Sara eventually excused herself to her room again but left the door open slightly just in case something should happen. It was something she had gotten used to ever since she was a child, her own mother leaving the door open for her just in case her little girl needed anything. 

While she slept Gaster remained where he was, continuing to carefully read through the heavy textbook in his hands. He never had much of an opportunity before to really look into what humans learned and he certainly wasn't one to pass up the moment now that it was offered to him. The single circular glow within his eye shifted back and forth countless times as he read line after line of information. Naturally, questions arose within his mind as he was reading but he did not feel it right to pry into the girl's home in search for pen and paper in order to write his thoughts down. 

Eventually he did set the book down, leaving open to the page he was currently reading and stood quietly at the sliding doors to the balcony, quietly watching the rain as it had begun to let up until it was currently a fine drizzle. In the distance Gaster could see the pale glow of the moon through the dissipating clouds as it cast its equally pale light onto the lake. The world above was so beautiful and he still felt he could not afford to take these moments for granted, not after what he had experienced and the amount of time it had felt like for him. He supposed that was, at least, one good thing that came from his current form. It was, perhaps, the only good thing.

• • • 

The morning after the extensive rainfall left the world a little cooler than usual. When Sara finally decided to crawl out of bed she grumbled in her half-awake, half-asleep state how she didn't appreciate it and would have preferred to stay in bed were it not for the increasingly frequent grumbling of her stomach being more and more demanding for food. Even then she had fought against her natural want until it was starting to get a little painful.

Wanting a blanket to keep herself warm against the cool morning air she went to grab the last extra blanket kept in her room before exiting to the main living area. She rubbed her eyes, looking confused when she saw that nothing of what she had left had been touched. Wrapping the blanket over her shoulders she looked up and gasped, startled by the tall figure in black at the glass doors to her balcony. Sara heaved a sigh a moment later when she remembered that she had brought the figure into her apartment of her own free will. Gaster seemed startled as well. The thick textbook in his hands slipped but he managed to regain his grip on it. He was more than halfway through its pages already. 

"Jeez, I forgot you were here, I am so sorry," Sara sputtered, one hand pressed to her chest while the other gripped the blanket tightly around her shoulders. She recomposed herself and through the action of rubbing her eyes again Sara still caught the sad expression in Gaster's face. Had she said something wrong? Blinking she slipped her fingers through her hair to try and tame some of the morning mess it had become, with only some success, looking at him worriedly. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked, unable to keep that particular thought to herself. 

Gaster looked away from her. His expression shifted somewhat, but there were still traces of sadness in it. "You need not worry yourself. I simply...remembered something, is all." 

"Hey, I'm sorry," she said as she stepped closer. One hand stuck out from behind the fluffy mess of the blanket around her as if to reach out and touch him, but she stopped short, keeping some distance between them in her uncertainty to fulfill the action. "I...I hope I didn't upset you." 

His one glowing light for a pupil looked back to her. "You were unaware, thus I do not blame you for your words." 

"What exactly _is_ your story, Gaster? If I may ask?" Sara questioned as she made her way to the fridge. She took out a large water bottle and began to shamelessly chug down its contents, enjoying the refreshing chill of water down her throat. It also helped to remove some of the feeling of hunger rumbling in her stomach. 

She was thankful to see his expression change to that of a gentle smile again. She got a sense of patience from him. And she had to admit, she was curious about him although didn't have it in her to actually ask him prior to this moment. Part of her was worried that she still was asking too soon and trying to get too personal, but most monsters she met were easy-going enough to spout out stories of their lives to those who would listen. Monsters were so eager to befriend those around them, it was rather adorable. 

Gaster, however, was more hesitant. Another difference about him in comparison to other monsters that Sara knew... She couldn't help but wonder what his story was, what his life was like in the Underground, and what he had been doing ever since coming up above to the surface. She watched him as he carefully dog-eared the current page he was on in her old textbook and set it aside. He gazed right at her, but Sara didn't feel intimidated by the stare. She got a sense of calm from him. 

"I will answer, if you do not mind answering my own questions."

"No! Not at all!" she blurted out a bit more excitedly than she had anticipated. She quickly grabbed a frozen waffle from her freezer and began to nibble or gnaw at it as she went to the couch and dropped herself into the cushions, looking up at the monster.

Gaster gave a gentle smile and gave a quiet chuckle, amused at her sudden energy. Holding his hands behind his back and keeping his focus on her he began to answer her question.


	4. Unlike Most

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a thank you to everyone who's stopped by and read my story, so far. I really does make me happy to know that others out there enjoy what I write! I hope this story continues to entertain and engage each of you lovely readers.  
> If you feel like it check out my tumblr: http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/ I mostly reblog stuff, and like stuff even more, so maybe you'll find something you like there.  
> Thank you again!

Sara learned a number of things about Gaster during those morning hours as she sent a barrage of questions out at him. She learned that he was, indeed, patient and gentle and carried himself calmly. She had yet to figure out how he developed that trait. She also learned, to her excitement, that he was a doctor of science---Dr. WingDing, or W.D., Gaster---and it was then that Sara understood why he took an interest in her textbooks. He was a man of knowledge and thirsted for it, holding onto a sense of curiosity that some did not make use of. He was also the previously assigned royal scientist of the underground.

"Why aren't you anymore?" she had asked at one point as she leaned forward a little bit more.

He didn't reply immediately. Rather, there was a moment of silence as he looked down. Eventually he spoke up again. "There was...an accident, after which I was no longer capable of fulfilling my duty."

Sara felt that she had touched onto a sensitive topic, and after apologizing for having done so she asked a different question entirely. She had also felt that there was much more to the explanation that what Gaster had given, but she certainly wasn't going to demand answers from him. 

And true to her word Sara did her best to answer questions that the monster had for her. Thankfully, most dealt with history and since she had been cramming her brain with history facts for the past number of years for the sake of her changed major she was more than able to explain to the best of her ability. Gaster, as she went on about certain events, would gain a look of absolute fascination. At times Sara thought she saw the little orb of light in his eye glow more intensely as he would listen. 

The one question that amused her the most was about her eyes. He leaned in further and even reached out as if to touch her face when he asked about them, but he never made physical contact. Her right eye was a dark brown color like freshly moistened soil from rain, while the left eye was grey-blue like the skies above as they were beginning to darken with rain. Sara had long since gotten used to people taking interest in her heterochromia as her having such distinct separation in eye color was rather rare. She went into the topic of biology and how genetics worked as best as she could remember, earning another look of absolute fascination from Gaster. 

It wasn't until her stomach wasn't just rumbling or growling, but quite audibly making known its displeasure at not being properly filled with food, that their session of Q & A had to be put on hold. By that time it was nearly lunch and Sara wasn't really feeling up to having the last of her leftovers for lunch. She excused herself to get changed and when she came back out she finally looked a bit more put together and not like she had deliberately rolled around on the carpet. With one hip out to the side and one hand on it she double checked her bank account via her phone before she made a final decision on how she was going to go about her afternoon. Her expression eased when she saw that she had enough to do a little spending. 

"Hey, Gaster, I'm going to head to the store soon. There's a few things I want to get, but I want to grab something for lunch while I'm out too. Would you like to come with me so you're not stuck hanging around the whole time?"

The monster glanced towards the small shelf which held her old textbooks as well as thinner books of literature that she had collected for her own reading leisure. He thought for a moment before looking back to the girl. 

"I suppose I will go with you. Your books will still be here when we return. Their contents are quite fascinating."

Sara giggled at his opinion of her texts. For her, she didn't find the information that interesting until some time after reading about it. And, the fact that he was willing to go with her to do simple, boring things made it feel less so. She certainly didn't lead the most secluded life, but at times her social life was limited and she had to admit that it was nice to have his company to break up the monotony of her own self for company. 

"Before we go, though, I just have one more curiosity."

"Yes?"

She gestured to his body with an up and down waggle of her index finger. "Are able to make a whole body? Or just a partial?"

Gaster looked down at himself. "Oh. Yes, I can, it just has been a while since I tried."

Sara let her bag gently flop to the side as she set it on the floor and took a step towards the monster but stalled as she watched him maintain his downward focus on himself. One of his hands rested on the back of the couch as the blackness of his body began to align with the angle of his upper half, solidifying into a single lanky leg that he made step out. Sara approached him again in curiosity as he now focused on a second leg to form. The remaining amorphous blackness steadily took shape, becoming a second lanky leg. Gaster tried to move the leg forward in a long step but tripped over himself and stumbled forward. 

Sara was there in a heartbeat. She rushed forward as soon as she realized and provided a counterbalance for him. Her hands were gripping the black that made up his forearms, although due to her grip it felt as if her fingers were sinking into it. The sensation reminded her of holding onto a gel pack, although there was a lack of temperature, texture, anything really. 

"Easy, there," she said gently. Despite herself she felt a smile on her lips. "You did say it had been a while."

Gaster's grip on her own forearms suddenly lessened as he pulled away. The girl noticed the faint glow of grey-purple across his face for once and blinked in curiosity, her head tilting ever so slightly to the side like a curious puppy. 

"Y-yes, I did. Thank you." He recomposed himself, making sure the form of a body he had created was as he had intended before finally standing straight. It was then that Sara realized that Gaster was quite tall. She wasn't certain exactly how much taller he was than her, but she safely assumed that he was a over six feet tall. She had to tilt her head back in order to keep her focus on his face. 

"Well, you ready to go?" she asked. Gaster gave a quiet nod and the two headed out.

• • •

Whatever it was that made up Gaster's body Sara learned that it made him really good at sneaking up on people, herself included. More than once he managed to startle her with his supposedly sudden appearance, even though he told her afterwards that he approached her normally. It took her glancing over at him again and again to begin understanding why that was.

The blackness of his body was completely devoid of detail. But, from the general shape it gave the impression of him wearing some sort of coat and slacks. She also noticed that no matter what motion he made with that body there was no sound to accompany it, the only sound coming from his own voice or his touching something. And when she recalled how it had felt in her hands when she helped keep him from tripping over earlier she began to wonder more and more what exactly that stuff was made of. 

She also noticed that he kept his hands held behind him more often than not; if he used one hand to examine something the other would remain tucked behind. It only added to the Jane Austin gentleman look that Sara associated him with. He was curious about many of the products on the shelves of the store as she tried to get her grocery shopping done, looking over the labels of cans and packages and occasionally asking Sara where said products were made. She did try her best to answer him, but most of the time she would just shrug and reply with "I dunno." 

"I feel like I should recognize most of these," he said as he was examining another box and its list of ingredients. 

"Maybe the Underground had similar things? Just with a different name?" she commented back, unsure. 

"Very possible," he replied as he returned the box to the shelf. Not a moment later he was bombarding her again with questions that, by that time, was struggling to answer without having to say "I dunno" again. His questioning made her think of him a bit like a child as well. Well, he had told her that he had been a scientist so that made sense too. It was a requirement to be curious about anything and everything, she figured. 

Eventually it got to a point where Sara figured it would be easier for him to actually look up the answers himself. Feeling like a mom distracting a small child she gave him her phone so that he could use to look up whatever he pleased. It took a few minutes of explaining how to make it work, but Gaster caught on quick and was just as quick to begin looking into anything and everything he still had questions for. She couldn't help but be amused as he followed a step or two behind her now engrossed in what was available to him. Already he was looking like a millennial. 

It had taken Sara much longer than she had anticipated, but she did finally manage to finish her shopping, grab some food along the way, and make it home with a still curious Gaster. He had gotten to a point where he was more interested in the apps on her phone rather than looking things up with the device. She somehow found his endless questions and curiosity amusing and so even the car ride back was a noisy one with their maintaining their extended Q & A session.

"Thanks for coming with me, Gaster," she said after they entered her apartment again. She set the bags onto the counter and began to pull out each item to prepare for organizing. Due to her back being turned she didn't see the monster gently place her cellphone down on the coffee table in front of her couch. 

"You are welcome. Although, I worry that my curiosity may have been too much for you," he replied.

Sara turned slightly and shook her head before looking at him. "Monsters still only recently came above ground, so it makes sense that you're still getting used to things here. I understand that." She paused for a moment to turn back to her groceries. "Besides, you said you were a scientist. Curiosity's a must, right?" She quietly giggled, amused at herself. 

"I appreciate your understanding. You are unlike most humans I have encountered."

"Thanks," she replied as she put away items meant to stay in the fridge. "I try to be."

"Unlike most humans? Or understanding?"

"Understanding. Maybe both, I guess."

Gaster's calm expression turned into a gentle smile. The expression remained even as she asked him to help place items in their respective places. 

"Have you dealt with a lot of...unpleasant humans?" Sara asked, choosing her wording carefully as she broke the silence that dangled over them like a spider dropping down on its thread. 

"Not many, no. But I have observed plenty who were 'unpleasant,' as you put it."

"I'm sorry," she said, looking up at him apologetically.

"You are not to blame, so you need not apologize," he replied.

"But still..."

"You said so yourself a moment ago that you try to be understanding, you try to be unlike most humans. The fact is, you try. That is enough."

She felt somehow encouraged by his words as she felt a faint heat in her cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little note about Sara's and Gaster's heights: Sara is smol and stands at 5'4'', while Gaster is the tol at 6'4''.   
> For a slightly better visual representation of their height difference: http://www.mrinitialman.com/OddsEnds/Sizes/sizes.html?base_ft=5&base_in=4&comp_ft=6&comp_in=4  
> I love using this site for figuring out sizes between people~


	5. Summer Plans

Gaster's stay in Sara's apartment quickly became an extended one. The days became a week and one week became two. Sara didn't mind. In fact, she had to admit to herself that she enjoyed the company. Sure she had hosted a gathering or a party or two for her friends but never did she have someone stay for any longer than a few days. Gaster was a quiet presence too, so it never felt like he was taking up any space. Sara enjoyed being able to walk in and find the monster delving into another book of hers, scrolling through some article on her laptop, or out on the balcony and staring out at the view. She'd come to learn that he did that when he wanted to observe and think.

But, it was during this time that she discovered a few extra things about the monster. One morning, as she was preparing to head out for work, she found Gaster already up and watching the morning light filter through the clouds that rolled in the previous evening. The morning was a bit more gray than usual because of them. 

"Morning Gaster," she said. She took a moment to glance down at her couch. The pillow and blankets she always set out for him remained as untouched as before. 

"Ah, good morning, Sara," he replied, turning to look towards her. 

"Gaster," she started, looking at him worriedly. Her expression caused his own to shift to a degree of confusion as his head tilted ever so slightly to the side. "Have you been sleeping at all?"

"I...Please, don't worry yourself." There was an apologetic tone in his voice. 

"Well, I'm worrying right now. I've been worrying for days, because I haven't ever seen you actually sleeping for days."

Gaster brought his head down, then looked off to the side. "I...cannot sleep."

"Can't sleep? Like insomnia or something?"

He shook his head. "No. You recall when I told you about my being the Royal Scientist, yes?"

"Yeah," Sara replied, her voice going soft but her expression becoming a quizzical one. There was hesitation in his voice again. She had come to notice this whenever their conversations or topics turned more towards his past. 

"And that there was an accident?"

"Yeah?"

"The result of that accident left me as I am now." He looked down at himself, bringing his arms out a little to gesture towards the amorphous blackness before tucking his hands behind him again and his form solidifying once more. "I am no longer whole. I cannot feel sensations on my body, I cannot feel fatigue, nor can I feel hunger."

Sara's expression turned into a sad one. "I'm so sorry," she said as she approached him. Gaster tensed as she came close. Both had remained attentive to each other's personal space, hesitant to try and get too close so Sara's reaching out to him was a bit of a surprise. Even more so as she waited for a moment to look up at him then wrapped her arms around and gave him a hug. He gasped at the gesture, a dull gray-purple glow appearing across his face. 

She tightened her hug on him as if hoping to find something solid within. The blackness remained as devoid of texture or heat as when she had first reached out to help steady him. There was still the feeling similar to that of a gel pack, however. It was the only thing she could think of to describe it. 

"Y-you are not at fault, Sara," he stuttered before swallowing and regaining composure. 

"I know, but," she pulled away and looked back up at him with her mismatched eyes, "I still feel sad."

Gaster brought one hand forward and dipped it beneath the fingers of one of her own hands. Another gentlemanly gesture that made Sara give a little bit of a smile and feel a little extra warmth to her cheeks. "Thank you for your compassion. And I apologize for worrying you."

"It's okay."

"And I believe you have work to get to, yes?"

Sara blinked, realization hitting her. "Oh yeah!" She pulled away hastily, grabbing her things and heading to the door. "I'll see you later, Gaster!"

At every red light on the way to work Sara paused to lightly brush her fingers together, remembering the peculiar sensation of his hand against her own.

• • •

By lunch Sara was out and enjoying an impromptu meeting with her friend Cassy. Cassy was a brown haired, brown eyed girl, with a slightly fuller shape to her body. She had been her friend since Sara started college as they had both started out as English majors and would have continued to have similar classes. But, Sara's fascination with monsters as soon as they appeared caused her to shift her major to history and so the two didn't see each other as frequently as before. They both figured it gave them excuses to find moments to hang out.

Sara took another glance at her watch when their conversation took a pause. She still had another ten minutes. She figured she'd best head back in five, since it took a few minutes to head back to the bakery. Cassy went on again about how her summer had been progressing since the break and when she randomly blurted out "oh!" she caught Sara's attention.

"What is it?"

"I totally forgot. The 4th's coming up. You have any plans for then?"

Sara shrugged. To her it was another day off since she never figured to splurge or decorate too much, at least not until near the end of the year. There were other things of greater importance, as unpleasant as they were; the most prominent one being rent. "Not really."

"You're still going to make it to the fireworks, right?"

"I haven't missed those in years, what makes you think I'll miss them now?"

"Fair point," Cassy replied as she took a bite of the pickle spear served with her sandwich. "Usual group's going and we're hoping to get our spot back this time." 

"Yeah, me too," Sara said, chuckling at the memory. The 4th of July holiday after monsters appeared there was a sudden surge of observers for the fireworks, so finding a decent spot to watch became a struggle. Their particular group of friends had been moved around multiple times until they just gave up and watched anyway. Sara didn't mind that much, to be honest, since most of the complaints were because their moved place made it awkward for their picnic dinner. And she was amused to hear the sounds of wonder from the monsters who watched the show. 

Which reminded her... "Cassy, would it be okay if I bring a friend?"

She gave an exaggerated gasp with a look of shock. She placed a hand to her chest and leaned back in her chair in mock offense. "Someone other than me? How could you?"

Both girls giggled. Both knew they were being silly and almost nothing between them was ever that serious. "I meant a monster friend," Sara clarified. 

The brunette's expression went back to normal, though she raised a single eyebrow at her friend. "You mean the one that's staying with you?" Sara had mentioned Gaster before, but never got into much detail about him because, to be honest, she didn't really know that many details about him. 

"Yeah, I was thinking maybe bringing him along."

Cassy took another bite of her pickle spear. "I don't see why not. I think a couple other people in our group might be bringing some monster friends with them too. It'll probably be the biggest group we've had since we started."

"I'll make sure to make extra food. Do we know who's bringing what?"

The girls discussed what was going on for their group: who was bringing what supplies, who brought what kind of food, where to meet up and what time, and so on. But, it was cut short when Sara saw that she had only one minute to get back to the bakery. Quickly wrapping up the remainder of her own sandwich she took off towards the bakery saying how she'd be in touch with Cassy later.

• • •

"I'm home!" Sara called out as she shut the door behind her. She was used to walking in quietly to a quiet apartment, and the change to calling out to Gaster was a nice one.

"Welcome back," he replied. It sounded like he was in the kitchen, which was still a little unusual since he never got hungry. Then, an instant later she remembered how he'd occasionally have some kind of snack set out for her when she arrived to help tide her over until she made herself dinner. 

Stepping further inside proved that. One of her water bottles was out on the counter with condensation beginning to appear on the plastic, and a granola bar next to it. It looked as though Gaster was just about to excuse himself from the kitchen. Sara couldn't help but smile, which earned her a smile of his own as well as a faint glow on his cheekbones. 

"Thank you, Gaster. You're too sweet," she said, lightly touching his hand as she reached out with the other to gather her snack. The glow on the monster's face intensified as he looked away, but still smiling. She took a swig of her water before beginning to open up the granola bar. "So, the 4th of July is coming up, and a group of friends are going to have a picnic dinner before watching the fireworks. Would you like to come?"

"Ah, is that why I have seen red, white, and blue more frequently?"

"Yeah, it's a patriotic holiday. Usual stuff to celebrate includes barbeques, swimming, going on a vacation somewhere, and especially fireworks. My group of friends and I will be heading to the nearby lake," she said as she headed towards the sliding doors to the balcony and pointed out towards the body of water off in the distance. "It's always really pretty to see the fireworks there because of the lake reflecting everything."

"Yes, I think I would like that," Gaster replied. Sara snapped her head around to smile brightly at him. His own smile widened. "I will go with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I hope everyone's enjoying each new chapter as the story goes along. 
> 
> Feel free to check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog.


	6. Light Up the Sky

Due to the day that the 4th of July fell on Sara got an extended weekend off work, which she was thankful for. She and one other person in her group of friends were in charge of bringing in enough treats for everyone. How many that meant, she had no idea, so she just went to town on the quantity. That meant filling up two large size tupperware containers to the brim with classic chocolate chip cookies.

Thankfully, she wasn't alone in the endeavor. Gaster's presence helped her greatly. Interested in her proficiency in baking he soon found himself wrangled into mixing both dry and wet ingredients. It all reminded him of another woman skilled in the culinary arts and the small child she simply doted over...

"I'd suggest rolling them in your hands, but, well," Sara said, glancing at his hands as she spoke, her hands busy with rolling small balls of dough together before setting them on the baking pan. She gave an awkward giggle, looking at him as if hoping she hadn't offended him. 

"No offense taken," he replied good-naturedly, understanding her expression. He took the current ball of dough from Sara's messy fingers and placed it on the pan. He then returned to measuring out the dry ingredients for yet another batch. Sara, however, remained looking at the perfectly circular holes in his palms for a moment longer before returning to her own task. 

"How did your hands get like that? If you don't mind my asking."

It was Gaster's turn to pause, looking down at one of his hands thoughtfully. "When it came to certain aspects of my research," he started, then paused again trying to find the right words. "Sometimes science makes heavy demands."

Her jaw clenched. She knew that she'd stepped into something sensitive again and it made her chest tighten in a sense of guilt for bringing it up. "Sorry," she murmured.

"Sara." She brought her eyes up to his one open socket. "It's alright. Perhaps, one day, I will tell you my story. All of it."

Her worried expression eased. "Okay. I can wait."

The air between them remained a bit tense and Sara took the opportunity to break it--by popping the current ball of dough she'd rolled into her mouth and enjoying the soft, sweet texture. She had a cheeky smirk as she chewed. Gaster's own expression quickly shifted to exasperation.

"Sara, that was your third one."

She couldn't help but give an equally cheeky giggle. Nevertheless, the monster sighed, amused by her.

• • •

Sara's 4th of July was a semi-eventful one. In the morning she woke up and brought Gaster with her to go watch the parade. With it being the middle of summer the morning was warmer, and the sky had only a few clouds drifting by allowing the sun to shine down more and more intensely as time went by. By the time they arrived along the parade's path, however, their viewing options were quite limited. Those who had genuinely come early got the spots closest to the road thus allowing for an unobstructed view. So, they wound up watching from a distance as Sara sat on the hood of her car while Gaster merely leaned back on it.

The parade was a slow procession of decorated cars and floats, many of them advertising local businesses. Noise was a constant until it was disregarded by anyone listening as the crowd focused more on theme of each parade piece. There was even a fire truck that blared its horn from time to time as the firefighters themselves tossed out candy or shot at giddy children with water guns. 

Afterwards, the two had a quiet lunch. Or, Sara did, at least. She indulged herself in a bit of comfort food by slapping together a grilled cheese sandwich...or two. By the time she cleaned up Gaster wondered if there was a way for him to read or see something historical, preferably about the particular holiday they were celebrating. It took a bit of searching but Sara managed to find a few documentaries and let it play on her laptop for the monster to watch at his leisure. However, a few minutes later she figured she may as well join him and the two sat comfortably side by side as they watched. Gaster remained leaning forward the entire time, totally focused on what he watched, whereas Sara was tucked into the edge of the couch, leaning against the armrest with her legs pulled up to her side. 

By mid evening the two were out again, this time heading towards the lake to meet up with her group of friends, and their friends. The brightness of the sun waned considerably and the air was still fairly warm but already beginning to cool. The evening air created warm shadows and an overall haze of purple-orange as she and Gaster parked and headed towards the arranged spot. It was good she had made an excess amount of cookies. The other person responsible for bringing treats did the same. Just as Cassy and Sara had figured, their group of fireworks participants was a large one. And, much to Sara's pleasure, there were a few monsters included in their group. She had worried that Gaster would be the only one. 

"Hey Sara, is that...wow..." Cassy sputtered as she tilted her head up to look at Gaster. She took a step back, looking apprehensive. 

"Hey, it's okay, Cassy. This is Gaster. Gaster, this is my friend Cassy."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Cassy. Sara has spoken often of you," he said, bending over slightly in a subtle bow. The gesture made the girl only take another step back. 

"Uh, yeah, hi. Thanks." 

Sara raised a single eyebrow at her reaction. She then gestured towards the two containers in her hands, breaking the awkward feeling she was getting from her friend. "Cassy, could you get one of these for me? I may have gone overboard with the baking." She gave a chuckle, albeit a forced one. 

Thankfully, her strategy worked. "Jeez, Sara!" Cassy exclaimed as she took the top container, easing a good portion of the weight from Sara's arms. "This may be too much. We do have brownies too, you know." 

She shrugged. "Well, more for me to bring home."

Cassy smirked. "Greedy."

As Cassy then led the two towards the collection of blankets which made up the group's picnic space Sara took a glance at Gaster. Her heart sank when she saw that he had a sad, apologetic look on his face. She thought she saw the gray-purple glow in his eye go dimmer. 

"Sorry about that," she said, getting his attention. She looked him straight in the eye, her expression and her tone of voice sincere. "You're just different and that's not a bad thing. Besides, they don't..." She hesitated to say what she wanted, looking down. "They don't know you like I do. You're sweet, and a gentleman. So, don't let them get to you. I'm with you, okay?"

Gaster's face began to glow with gray-purple as he looked down at her in surprise. She couldn't bring her own self to look up at him due to the heat in her own face. She hadn't really expected to say those things, but the words were already spoken and couldn't be taken back. Not that she wanted to. Her fingers fumbled to brush her fringe behind her ear as she sidestepped then took a step forward as if to urge them towards the group. 

"We should--"

"Sara--"

"Wait, there's more?!" blurted out a young man from the group, interrupting the both of them. "Where? Ey, Sara, you have the other thing of cookies, right? C'mon!"

Sara gave a momentary glance upward toward Gaster, catching sight of the glow on his face as well as the expression he held. Somehow it only made the heat in her cheeks intensify and spread through the rest of her face, but also made her give a giddy smile. She strode forward, leaving Gaster to follow her. 

It was almost a feast with the amount of food and variety thereof that people had brought. There was fried chicken, grilled chicken, home style veggies, rolls, coleslaw, potato salad, somebody even brought steak! And then there was the massive amount of cookies Sara brought, as well as someone else who brought a large container of brownies to go with. Drinks consisted of water bottles and various brands of soda. The group situated themselves in a circle, most sitting in folding chairs for camping while a few opted to sit on the blankets as everyone served themselves food. 

"So, what was that about?" Sara asked Cassy once the two got situated in their respective spots with plates covered in food. 

"What about what?"

"Gaster."

"Oh." Cassy glanced over at the monster, who stood with his hands held behind him as usual and looking out towards the lake. The warmer tones of the evening were darkening to the dark blues of early night and the anticipation for the fireworks got more and more noticeable as time went on. The once bright streaks of sunlight reflecting off the water dimmed and darkened with the sky. He, himself, was blending in more efficiently with the darkness than he probably suspected, making the ivory color of his bones stand out all the more. 

"Well, you asked if you could bring a monster friend. You didn't say you'd bring a freaking _wraith_!" 

"Cassy!" Sara said firmly, like a mother chastising a child for saying or doing something out of hand. 

"Sara, he's creepy as all heck. How was I supposed to react?"

"He's just different." She looked towards Gaster as she replied. He must've felt her gaze on him because he turned his head around enough to meet her eyes. She kept her focus on him a moment longer before looking back to her friend. "It's not his fault he looks like that. He's really nice, just like any other monster," she continued, gesturing towards the variety of monsters situated within the group. "Give him a chance. Please."

Cassy sighed, leaning back into her chair and giving another look towards Gaster. Sara kept her focus on her and looked hopeful. Gaster noticed Cassy's gaze as well and turned his head to look at her. He gave a nod of his head to acknowledge her before looking back out to the lake and the sky above. 

"Okay. I'll try again with him. I'm sorry."

Sara leaned to the side to tap her friend's shoulder with her forehead. It was a gesture of friendly affection that Sara did now and then and the action made Cassy give a smile, momentarily forgetting the reason why they were even having this conversation. "Thanks," Sara said, her forehead resting on her shoulder for a moment longer before she sat up straight again. 

The evening continued to darken and everyone was finishing off their last portions of dinner or dessert. The sky was sufficiently dark for the show and people kept looking towards the heavens in anticipation for the sight of the first firework. Sara was in the middle of taking another sip of her drink when it started. She gave a large smile and gasped in excitement like a small child as she heard the rocket and watched it streak upwards before disappearing briefly, then bursting into countless sparks with an echoing boom. 

Some of the monsters were anxious, still not used to fireworks, but other humans leaned in to give them understanding and comfort. Gaster didn't seem nearly as wary as the others, but he remained close to the group nonetheless, specifically to that of Sara's side.

The din of voices chatting from before the show lowered considerably once the fireworks appeared, and continued to lower until it was just murmurs as spectators commented on their favorite effect. Sara twisted her chair around to have a more direct view of the lake and the fireworks overhead, pulling one knee up to her chest as her eyes were wide with her mouth in a wide smile. The echo of each boom as the fireworks exploded reverberated through her chest. She never noticed how Gaster's attention was less and less on the actual show than that of the girl's expression as she watched it. His smile was almost affectionate as he watched her enjoy herself. 

It wasn't until after the finale that she looked up to him with the same wide smile she wore through the entire show. The glow in his eye brightened when she did. Sara's smile steadily transitioned into the giddy one from before and looked away, somehow feeling bashful when she saw his expression. Gaster's own smile widened just a fraction more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, everyone, for reading so far! I hope you're enjoying the story.  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog. 
> 
> 'till next time~


	7. Near the Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listened to the Final Fantasy XII ost "Near the Water" for the majority of this chapter. Go listen to it as you read, if you like~

Sara had a hand covering her mouth, her brows furrowed, and an overall look of concern on her face as she scrolled down through the article currently taking up the screen of her laptop. She usually wasn't one to bother reading news articles she would find posted on her usual social sites, but the title and header managed to catch her attention long enough for her to read through near its entirety.

"Jeez," she murmured. 

"You look troubled," came Gaster's voice from behind. He was silently pacing back and forth along the length of Sara's apartment as he was reading through one of her earlier English major textbooks, particularly that of famous poets and writers of the Victorian and Romantic eras. By this time he had already torn through most of her previously read and used textbooks. Soon he was going to go into the collection of books she kept for her own reading pleasure and not for school. 

"It's this article." She twisted around to be able to look up at him. "It's been nearly two years and monsters are still getting targeted like they're enemies to society. I feel so bad for them."

"Wait, what happened?" he asked, curious as he used a single finger to mark his place and close the book before leaning over the back of the couch to glance at the article himself.

"A monster family got attacked as they were out with friends. One even had to get hospitalized because of how bad he got hurt. And it happened during the 4th, too. Just the other day! It says that the attackers were humans, but they seemed to have some kind of symbol on their clothes. People think they're some kind of...group." Sara's expression of concern intensified as she continued to look up at him. She had deliberately left out the term 'anti-monster' because the idea of people targeting monsters for any reason never sat well with her. 

Gaster's own expression turned into concern as well. "That is unfortunate. But it is not the first instance where our kind has been victimized, yes? Ever since we emerged we have been harassed and attacked." His tone was somber as he stood straight again.

"It's not right!" Sara blurted out, turning around entirely, kneeling on the cushions and resting her hands on the back of the couch to keep looking at him. "Monsters haven't done anything wrong. Every monster I've ever met has been so kind. Things like this make me worry, G." 'G' was still a fairly new nickname that the girl had given him, but he took it in stride and would respond to it, though not nearly as often as he would with his full name. "Worry for you, for Whinnie, for Lu, for all monsters."

"What can be done for us is being done. I suspect what you can do to help is continue to stand up for us, as you have been."

"I try...I try."

"Then it is enough," Gaster replied. There was the faintest motion of him wanting to reach out to her with his free hand, but he instantly rethought that action and instead kept it hanging at his side. 

• • •

Summer continued to march on, the days becoming weeks that all blurred together in a mixture of sunburns, warm and hot rays, frequent hang-outs with friends, and lots of store sales. There was also the hint of apprehension with the younger generations that none seemed willing to acknowledge for any reason. Nevertheless they played off this apprehension with even more parties and excuses to do whatever they pleased until the inevitable end of it all. 

This was not the case for Sara towards the tail end of July, as she continued to come into work on a regular basis and thus had something else to distract her. Gaster accompanied her at times, wandering about somewhere likely doing typical window shopping to occupy himself. Sara was taking her turn to handle the front of the store, carefully replacing the depleting stock of treats during a lull in the number of customers. 

"I hope you're looking forward to a week off," said Lu. "I certainly am."

"Wait, what?" Sara questioned, looking at the bunny in surprise. "Already?"  


"Mm-hmm," the rabbit nodded. "Well, I'll be taking a week off soon, so, of course you and Whinnie get that time off too. Who knows what nonsense you two would get up to if I let you manage this place on your own," she continued with a chuckle and a wink. 

"Oh, c'mon, Lu," Sara sighed, playing along, "I'm pretty sure we'd blow up only one oven, not all three."

"Y-yeah," Whinnie little voice chimed in from the back. "And we'd be out of ingredients by the third day!"

Lulu couldn't help but laugh, pressing a paw to her chest. "No, not my shop! My heart and soul! I can't trust either of you."

Whinnie appeared from the back just in time to flash a grin alongside Sara's own, eliciting another laugh from their boss. 

"Wait, so when exactly is this break?" Sara asked.

Lu regained her composure and resumed her usual stance, placing her paws on her wide hips. "I just looked at the calendar, and it's just after next week. So, start of August."

"Where will you be going for your vacation, Lulu?" Whinnie asked as she fluttered to the back again to resume measuring ingredients or place prepared dough onto baking trays. 

A pink tint appeared on Lu's face as her smile softened. "Well, George asked me to spend the week with him. Apparently we're going to some kind of resort, but he won't tell me what kind exactly."

"Aww, that sounds really sweet, and romantic," Sara commented, finishing placing the remaining brownies and cookies in their respective places in the display case. "He really spoils you."

George was an older human who Lulu met not long after she had the grand opening of her bakery the previous year. At first he was fascinated by the rabbit and her baking skills, but with time his visits to the bakery were more to get a chance to talk to Lulu herself, and getting one of her treats as just an excuse to accomplish that goal. And the rabbit found his easy-going, gentlemanly flirting quite endearing and thus found herself quickly falling for him. 

The relationship between them even developed to a point where, a few months ago, he popped _the_ question. She, of course, said yes, and proudly wore the engagement ring as often as she could. Sticky paws, however, never did well for the ring he got for her, so whenever she was busy with her hands she had it hanging around her neck from a delicate chain. They planned on finally tying the knot by winter time. 

"He really does. He's too good to me." Lu smiled happily as she brought her paw to her chest again. Sara blinked as she saw a pulse of light emit from beneath the monster's paw. It wasn't the first time she'd caught sight of it, but it always made her curious. "Now," Lulu said suddenly, regaining her composure once again and returning to her duty as boss of the bakery. "Back to work with you."

• • •

The days leading up to Sara's week long break from work came quickly, but she certainly didn't complain. As it turned out it was perfectly timed with the excursion she and her group of friends planned on doing as they were going to head out to a larger lake some distance away and spend a few days there at one of the few campgrounds there. Sara was familiar with the place and had hoped for the option of the cabins scattered around the lake, but it was cheaper to go with tents. Plans for the days there included bonfires every night, hiking along the numerous paths, swimming, and somebody promised a boat via some relative of theirs. 

Sara was on the phone with one of the members of said group, making arrangements as to what she would bring, both for herself and for the group. The first thing covered was the amount of treats she'd bring. She was still occupied with the call as she unlocked her apartment door and slipped inside. 

"Yeah, it's not a problem. I'll have plenty of space in the back, since I'll be throwing most of my stuff in the trunk. Do you want to head out at the same time then? May as well head since I'm having to stop by your place anyway." She gave an acknowledging glance and wave to Gaster as she kept her cell pressed to her ear with a raised shoulder. "No, you can't have first dibs, they have to make it to the campground first." She chuckled at the sound of false whining on the other end. "Keep that up and I won't let you have any the first night. Alright. Yeah, see you then." Sara sighed as she ended the call, finally relieving the tension building in her neck and massaging the muscle half-heartedly. 

"A change in plans?" Gaster questioned. As usual, he held a water bottle in one hand and a snack in the other.

Sara smiled and took the offered items. "Yeah, we're stopping by a friend's place first because their car is too full with most of the camping gear our group's going to use. He's asking me because his place on the way. Since I've got space in mine we'll be taking some of it. Now just have to make sure I remember when we leave the lake..."

"It's good to see you excited for this. You've been talking about it with your friends for days."

She shrugged as she chewed through a bite of her snack, an apple this time. "Yeah, it's something we've been doing since we were Sophomores. We didn't know about the place our Freshman year, and the place we tried that year was awful, let me tell you."

Gaster chuckled. "Please do."

Sara retold the experience of that year, talking for at least an hour.

• • •

The remaining time leading up to the lake vacation getaway Sara managed to get her things packed up and set towards the front door as well as gently coercing Gaster to bring a few things for himself since she worried that he might get bored. Oddly enough, all he truly wished to bring was the current book of poetry he was still reading through as well as a new notebook and pen. He had already gone through the first one Sara got for him not too long ago, filling both sides of each page with the oddest assortment of symbols the girl had ever seen. 

The trip to the lake itself was a fairly long one. It was a nearly three hour drive to arrive there, but due to everyone in the group having set out in the early morning they managed to make it to their arranged camping spot by around lunch time. A pair of brothers brought their pickup truck, or 'food truck' as it was affectionately called, and unloaded one of the numerous coolers strapped in to the truck bed before opening it up to reveal a large stack of a variety of sandwiches for everyone to choose from. Another couple tossed out bags of chips, and another car's trunk opened up to reveal more coolers but filled with drinks. It was already a good start to the trip.

Some of the monsters who came for the 4th of July fireworks showed up again for this trip too. There were also one or two others who were new to the group but were welcomed well enough regardless. The more shy monsters stuck to each other while those who had come with humans friends stuck with them. 

The lake was almost unbelievably large, stretching out for miles and lined by only stone, dirt, and full green trees. If one were to squint and focus hard enough there, hidden behind the thickets and clustered branches, could the occasional lake house be seen. Sloping down towards the water would be the boat houses connected to those homes. The campground where Sara and her group of friends were staying for the next few days was in a clearing of trees right at the lakeshore, which also had a short wooden dock leading out towards deeper water should someone want to dive in, or bring in their boat or canoe. The afternoon sun was warm but not quite hot as the noise of people helping to set up the tents accompanied the sound of others milling around and chatting. 

Sara, herself, sat at the dock with her legs crossed, her sandwich in her hands and her can of soda set to the side as she watched the water wave and roll. Thankfully the dock was also covered, providing shade for when the sunlight got to be too much or the overall heat too heavy. A Doberman shaped dog monster sat nearby, along with another monster who looked like an otter, as well as a few other humans. 

"Hey, so I just got done talking to my uncle. He says he's pulling the boat out, and he'll bring stuff for skiing and tubing too," one guy announced, getting the attention of most of the group. Following the announcement were whoops and cheers, mostly from the other humans. Those that were more excited turned to explain water skiing and tubing to the slightly confused monsters. 

"Awesome," Sara said to herself, twisting herself back around to look back out towards the water. "Love tubing."

"I'm just looking forward to getting out into the water!" said the otter monster, its voice making Sara realize it was female. 

"Oh yeah, it's going to be great," she replied. "By the way, nice to meet you guys, I don't remember seeing you last year."

The Doberman monster shook his muzzle. "Nah, we met Kyle only a few months ago." He pointed to one of the young man standing around with a few other humans. Sara wasn't quite sure which one was Kyle as his pointing wasn't specific but she let it go. "When he invited us to come we couldn't say no."

"That's awesome," Sara said with a bright smile as she stood up, brushing off crumbs that had fallen onto her shorts. "I hope you guys have a lot of fun, okay? See you around."

Not long after the infamous uncle that many of the humans, including Sara, in the group were familiar with arrived with his boat. He could only take a few at a time so it was a first come, first serve basis to those who wanted to go further out onto the lake. Sara figured she'd wait and so she hung around the tents where she and a few other girls would sleep in for the next few nights. A few others were hanging back as well and so she stuck around to chat with them, be they human or monster, occasionally seeing Gaster further off in the distance. Each time she saw him he looked as though he was observing some small detail of nature, likely making observations to himself. 

Eventually she did get the chance to ride with a few others on the boat. Most of her time, however, was spent on a tube, gripping fiercely to the handles as she would lean side to side with the curves the boat took in each attempt to knock her, and anyone else aboard, off. Occasionally she'd spot the otter monster she met earlier enjoying herself by just following the boat and then floating on her back whenever it stopped to allow anyone who toppled off to get back on. Sara, of course, would sometimes be that person who got thrown off. 

The fun, however, had to come to an end when the boat's fuel tank was getting too low. Dumping off the last group at the dock the group was promised more fun the following day, and possibly with another boat to allow more out to the lake, as the uncle had friends not too far away with a boat of their own. The timing worked out for the best as the air was beginning to cool and the late afternoon turn into early evening. The once blinding reflection of sunlight on the water steadily became a single streak of golden light opposite the sun like a pathway towards it, while the rest of the water turned gray-blue. 

The last group to go out on the lake went to clean up. At the campground were boys and girls bathrooms, along with a few shower stalls on each specified side so that the campers wouldn't have to rough it _that_ intensely, unless they wanted to. The only problem was that hot showers were limited to a span of seven to ten minutes, and so people had to rush before the water would quickly go from hot to lukewarm to cold. 

In the meantime a bonfire was set up and grilling posts ignited as the first dinner of the lake trip vacation began. The smell of smoke wafted through the air to go along with the sounds of the fire crackling as it steadily grew and sizzling of grilled meat and veggies. More bags of chips, trail mix, and other salty snacks got tossed around and some people were already asking where Sara's treats were, but she only told them that those were when dinner was actually ready to be served, much to their chagrin. 

As the night continued to deepen Sara kept her eyes out more often for Gaster, knowing how his black body blended in too well with the shadows. Thankfully she caught sight of him, his skull and hands a bright contrast to the dark, and approached to give his currently half-formed body a poke. 

"Hey, G."

He looked to her and a moment later solidified himself, standing a little taller and regaining that suit-like appearance she was familiar with. As usual he had a gentle smile upon looking down at her. "Evening. You looked like you enjoyed yourself today."

She smiled brightly up at him. "I did! I missed going tubing. Though, I think I may have gotten a bit sunburned," she said, poking at her forearm. It was a tad warmer than it should be. She figured her skin was going to be a bit more pink than usual once she could see herself in full sunlight the following day. 

"Will you be alright? I'm afraid I don't know the extent of damage sunburns can cause."

"It feels pretty minor. Just need to keep more sunblock on me in the future, and use a little aloe." She shrugged. "I always get some degree of sunburn from these lake trips, so I'm not that worried. You shouldn't be either, Gaster. I'll be fine, really."

Gaster sighed, still looking concerned. "Very well, if you insist."

"I do. I also insist that you join everyone, even if you don't eat." She reached around his body with one arm, grasping one of his skeletal hands which startled him in surprise. Bringing it forward she gave a gentle tug to him, urging him to come with her towards the bonfire, as well as the rest of the group. He didn't try to pull away, nor did he look anywhere else save for her hand grasping his. A faint glow emitted from his cheeks and he quietly swallowed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog!
> 
> 'till next time~


	8. Lost and Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Special extra chapter today~  
> Thank you everyone who's been reading, commenting, and leaving kudos. It makes my day!

Most slept in the following day, though there were a few early birds. Sara wasn't one of them. She and many other simply snoozed the majority of the morning away, which was something she did anyway on the days she didn't normally have work. She would have slept in more but the unusual atmosphere of the campground and the creeping chill of the night that lingered into the morning eventually roused her from her slumber. 

Plans for the day were much the same was yesterday, but she wasn't feeling up to being out in the summer sun for very long. Her suspicions from yesterday were confirmed when she saw that her skin was noticeably pinker than before and was already developing faint tan lines on her shoulders and chest. So, she opted out of boating and instead chose to follow a few others who were going to head out on the nearby hiking trails after everyone served themselves lunch. Sara, of course, invited Gaster to come along. He, of course, accepted. 

Their hiking group was small, five in total, but it was enough as human and monster soon created a single file line as they followed along one of the easier trails. It was surprising just how quickly silence fell once they were fully enveloped by the forest. The sound of the lake's water lapping at the shore faded away and the voices of the rest of the young adults becoming more distant until they stopped entirely. Replacing those sounds were that of the rustling of the canopies as a breeze would pass by, the crunch of stone and twigs beneath each footfall, and the occasional snap of a branch, or rustle of leaves, off in the distance as some creature scurried about unseen. It was a refreshing break from the noise the filled modern life and Sara was grateful for the opportunity to let it soak into her being. 

There was a type of tranquility here that could not be found elsewhere. The others seemed to be enjoying it as well, as they became progressively more silent the further along they went. Gaster, however, was the most silent of them all and Sara would have to often look over her shoulder towards him to make sure he was still there and hadn't just disappeared. Even with just over a month's time of knowing the monster Sara still found him rather peculiar. His steps were devoid of any noise whatsoever; nothing rustled, or crunched, or snapped wherever he stepped, and even if he passed by a branch or an overgrown plant there was no indication of it being bothered by his presence. She thought it strange to think of that way but she couldn't help but think how it was if he simply _wasn't there_.

The thought made her think back to when he explained his previous duty as Royal Scientist, and the accident which led to his current situation. She could only guess as to what could have possibly happened to him, as he had mentioned that he was no longer 'whole'. That thought made her sad. He was soft-spoken, gentle, and always a gentleman, and it didn't seem fair to her that he had gone through some sort of trauma. There was a peculiar throb in her chest as she quietly wished within herself that she could do something for him. 

But her thoughts were interrupted when she nearly walked into one of the other hikers--a serpent-like monster who was about as tall as Gaster himself, and that wasn't including the rest of its lengthy tail. In fact, nearly everyone in the group had paused, though she and others looked confused.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Shh. Listen."

The silence became tense as their little group paused to listen more closely. Indeed, carrying just over the silence was a sound that didn't belong to the forest. Each member of the hiking line looked to each other and then continued onward with new purpose: to figure out what the sound was, and where it was coming from. 

Further along the trail it shifted, having slowly brought hikers to a higher elevation until there were slopes leading down into creeks. It was around this shift in terrain that the sound became more clear as well as louder. 

"It...sounds like somebody crying. Or laughing?"

"Sounds like crying."

"Sounds like a kid."

"Hello?" called out one of the group, looking around as they were not sure where to project their voice. 

The echo quickly faded but everyone's faces made the same expression when there was a whimper and a reply of "Mommy...daddy...somebody..."

"A lost child?"

"H-hey, keep talking! Kid, where are you?"

Another whimper, or possibly a sob. "Please...down here..."

It took a little bit more searching but the group soon found where 'here' was. Sara gasped when she looked down a particularly sleep slope not far off the path and saw a monster child sitting in the creek water and wiping their eyes repeatedly, no doubt to remove the tears. How long had the child been there? When she tried to draw near the edge she yelped and stumbled backward when a chunk of earth broke off and rolled down. 

"Soil's loose," commented a young man who was hiking with them, along with his girlfriend, who stood beside him. "I guess it gave way under the kid when it wandered off from the path."

"We have to do something! Do we have a rope? Anything to get down there?" Sara asked, looking to the others. 

"We didn't exactly plan on doing rock climbing..." replied the young man from a moment ago. 

"C'mon, there has to be something we can do," Sara replied. 

"Maybe...we can get down there," the snake monster piped up, though looking unsure. It shifted on its two dragon-like feet nervously. "I could try to use my magic to conjure up something like a rope. I can't guarantee how sturdy it'll be or how long it'll last, though."

"It's still your best option now," Gaster spoke up, showing as much concern on his own face as everyone else. "The child cannot remain there. We would be doing both the child and its parents a service, should we succeed."

The snake monster took heart at his words and began to use its magic. Gray-white light appeared and swirled in the air before looping around the monster's lengthy neck, the other end hovering in the air and waiting to be grasped. The young man offered to help stay up top and steady the monster, while Sara wrapped the other end of the monster's magic around her arm and wrist before sliding herself down the slope towards the child. The magic left a tingling sensation on her exposed skin, similar to the sensation of a muscle that was waking up after being asleep.

When she approached she saw that the monster child was a type of cat with an orange tabby coat. Most of its pants were soaked from sitting in the water and droplets of moisture still clung to its paws as it wiped away tears. She noticed how its little feet, tail, and forearms were dirtied; likely from tumbling down the slope. 

"Hey, little guy," Sara said softly as she squat down next to the child. "It's okay, we're going to get you out of here." Keeping her wrapped arm to her side she reached out with her other hand, albeit hesitantly, to touch the cat's head and gently stroke its fur. The child hiccupped and finally looked up at the girl, revealing particularly glossy amber eyes. 

"I want my mom and dad," it whimpered. Sara noticed how, through the distress in its voice, the one was that of a little boy.

She lightly brushed her fingers up his drooped ear, making it rise up straight for a moment before it flopped again. "We'll get you back your mom and dad too, I promise. First we have to get you back up to the path. Can you stand?"

"N-no. My ankle hurts."

Sara's chest tightened. He'd gotten hurt from his fall, that's why he had remained sitting there getting cold and wet. 

"Please hurry!" came the snake monster's voice from above. "I can't maintain this for much longer now." Sara didn't doubt it. She could feel the tingling sensation of the magic on her arm fading. It left an odd prickling in its place as the glow flickered in and out of solidity. 

Sara brought herself closer, kneeling down in front of the cat boy and scooping him up with her free arm. He sniffled as he wrapped his arms and his good leg around her, clinging almost desperately to her shirt. The leg with the injured ankle hung a little more limply at her hip. She could feel his little claws poking through onto her skin beneath the fabric. "Now hold on tight, okay? I got you."

Climbing back up was a bit of a struggle due to various factors: Sara's now carrying extra weight of the child, the snake monster's magic getting progressively weaker, as well as the human couple needing to jump in and help said the monster steady and not get pulled towards the edge. The remaining member of their group served as encouragement, as well as an extra help in pulling on the magic that served as a rope. But, to everyone's relief, Sara and the cat boy were brought safely out of the ravine and back onto the trail.

• • •

There was a fuss around the campground when Sara and the others returned with the lost and hurt cat boy still clinging to her. Gaster stayed close as well and served at the most reasonable voice to listen to. Just as the cat boy took a sense of comfort in Sara's arms, Sara took comfort in Gaster's being near her. He kept her from going off into a flurry of worry over what to do and how to handle the situation. Some of the entire group split up to go visit other campgrounds to find his parents, while a few others climbed into a car and headed back towards the main road in order to inform the sentry posted at the entrance.

The entire time that Sara held onto the monster child she would notice a certain behavior from him that would lead to her looking down in both surprise and curiosity. His little paw would occasionally touch at the center of her chest, resulting in a pulse of colored light emitting from beneath it. The light was so faint and dissipated too quickly for anyone to really notice. Each time that single pulse seemed to be enough for him as he would then almost cuddle all the more intently into her and relaxing a little. Something about what he did with her calmed him, so she let him do it each time. It was either the second or third time after he started doing that that Sara looked up to Gaster with the intent to question what was going on. But, there was a look on his face that she wasn't used to which made her heart beat a little harder in her chest and look away, feeling flustered and giddy at the same time. 

Soon enough one of the groups returned, this time with a feline couple--another tabby and a brown tux. The tabby, the mother, was overcome with relief, shedding tears as she went straight towards Sara with her arms open. The tux cat monster followed right beside her, looking as though he too was going to break down into tears, one paw grasping at the collar of his shirt tightly. 

"Felix!"

The little cat boy, Felix, snapped his head up and looked towards his parents. "Mom! Dad!" His little paws reached out for them. 

His mother quickly pulled him away from Sara and clung to him as desperately as he had to the girl. Felix's mother smiled through her tears of joy, her own paw stroking down his head and nuzzling him. The father, the brown tux, wrapped his arms around both of them in a protective manner. 

"Thank you so much for finding him," he said to Sara. "We don't know how we'll repay you."

Sara shook her head, standing up and holding her hand out to shake. The father cat brought his own paw out and the two grasped each other. His pressed down ears eased and began to stand straight while Sara had a gentle smile on her face. "You don't need to repay me. I'm just glad we managed to find you two and bring him back."

"As are we. Thank you again."

Although she kept her focus mostly on the father cat, Sara couldn't help but notice a faint glow of white-gray light illuminating the muzzles of Felix and his mother. She saw how their expressions, as they looked down at the origin of the light, were gentler, comforted. Her curiosity continued to rise at the sight, bringing back questions she wanted to have answered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog!
> 
> 'till next time~


	9. She Walks in Beauty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "She walks in beauty, like the night  
> Of cloudless climes and starry skies;  
> And all that's best of dark and bright  
> Meet in her aspect and her eyes"  
> \- "She Walks in Beauty," by Lord Byron

Thankfully the rest of the day passed by calmly, although Sara did gain a bit of fame with the monsters of the group, praising her for her selflessness and courage in going down to save the little cat. There were even a couple of humans from the group who asked Sara what it was like to interact with monster magic, as everyone had practically demanded to hear every detail of the 'rescue mission.' In the end it left her a bit more tired than usual, so she was glad when night had fully enveloped the area in its heavy cloak of shadows and sleep, excusing herself to her tent and snuggling deeply into her sleeping bag.

• • •

She hadn't checked the time when she went to bed, so she was disoriented when she was roused from her slumber by the sound of Gaster's voice calling out her name from outside the tent. Sara rubbed her eyes, still feeling the heavy weight of sleep there and in her mind before she checked her phone and winced at the bright light showing that it was just past three in the morning. With a heavy sigh she rolled over and noticed the monster's form as an even deeper shadow in comparison to the darkness of the night through the thin fabric of the tent.

"Sara..."

She rubbed her eyes again, a little irritated that she'd been woken up before she actually wanted to. "G, it's three in the morning," she mumbled, keeping her voice quiet so as not to wake the two other girls sharing the tent with her. "What is it?"

"I apologize for waking you," he whispered back, "but there is something I wish to show you. Please, come outside."

Sara grumbled and sat up as she brushed her fingers through her hair, feeling tangles developing in it already. She clambered out of the bag and crawled to her duffle bag which sat open, its sides sagging, at the foot of the inflatable mattress beneath her sleeping bag for some comfort against the uneven ground beneath the tent. Even now the mattress was halfway deflated. 

She pulled out her hoodie from within the mess of clothes in her duffle bag and slipped it on over her head before tiptoeing outside and slipping her feet into her shoes sitting just outside the zippable door. Sara had learned after the group's first stay at this lake that she needed a hoodie or some type of jacket to keep herself warm against the chill of the night. But, even with the oversized piece of clothing on her she still pressed her arms close to her side and kept her hands hidden within the lengths of the sleeves, feeling the chill attempt to seep through to her skin. 

Gaster had an apologetic smile on his face when she approached and gave him a half-hearted glare through half-lidded eyes. "I sincerely am sorry for waking you, but I felt that you had to see this." He gestured out past the cluster of tents and towards the lake shore. "Come."

The girl stumbled tiredly behind him, stroking her fingers through her hair more thoroughly to remove the tangles that still lingered in her blonde lengths. She also gave a large yawn, feeling the cool night air prickle at her lungs as she breathed in. It took her a moment longer to realize that the monster was leading her further along the lake shore and towards a deserted spot some distance away from the camp where the shadows looked even thicker than usual and the silence, save for the gentle lapping of the water, all the more tangible. 

"Here," Gaster said, stopping and turning to face Sara. She blinked, looking at him quizzically. "Look up." Sara did so, tilting her head towards the sky. The sleep faded from her eyes instantly as she took in a slow gasp of amazement. 

The heavens were alight with countless stars. The sheer number of speckles of light made it seem as though the entire universe was clustered together within the limited view above, twinkling amidst shades of blue and the slightest hint of purple. Off to the side, seeming to rise from the distant tree line like smoke was the Milky Way itself, a murky haze of space stuff amidst the stars. It was then, too, that Sara realized how much of the night sky was reflected on the lake's surface, the brightest stars shining and wavering on the water. Sara's tired expression was gone, replaced with a look of wonder, as she continued to gaze up, spinning once to get a glimpse of the sky from behind where she stood as well. 

"It's so pretty," she said, her voice breathy, soft, as if speaking too loud would cause the whole scene to disappear from her. "I've never seen the sky like this before."

"That is the same sense of wonder I still feel about much of the surface," Gaster said, looking down at her. The gentle, affectionate, expression he had from before returned. "There is so much beauty before me."

Sara turned to look at him, wanting to make a comment of her own but his expression made her voice stay within her throat. The gray-purple glow of his eye pierced her in a way unlike ever before and the girl felt herself getting all flustered, especially as a particular thought went through her head of maybe he hadn't exactly meant nature itself when he spoke of beauty. She fidgeted where she stood and reached up with one hand to tuck some of her loose hair behind her ear. 

Sara felt the smooth bone of his fingers touch her hand, sliding them beneath her own fingers and drawing her hand away from her until hers and his hovered in the suddenly small space between them. There was a warmth coming from him that she hadn't noticed before; it was lukewarm, but it was still a sense of warmth in comparison to her chilled fingers. And she felt a curious tingling on her skin, reminding her of the sensation of magic she had experienced only hours earlier. Keeping her eyes trained on their hands she felt her heart begin to beat faster and harder within her chest. 

Though she felt increasing embarrassment in daring to do so she still dared, so Sara pulled her eyes away from their hands and looked Gaster in the face, since she felt his gaze on her the entire time. Looking at him made her face feel that much warmer against the cool night air. She felt his hold on her hand tighten ever so slightly.

"I'm glad you liked it."

He bent down while, at the same time, brought her hand closer to him and closed his one functioning eye. Sara gave a quiet squeak, then clapped her free hand over her mouth, as he brought her other hand to him and pressed her fingers to his mouth. Though he had no soft human lips to press her hand to, she instead felt the smooth curve of bone as well the now familiar tingling sensation of magic. It seeped past her skin and felt like it followed the path of every nerve in her hand and along her arm, the sensation dissipating the further along it went, fading away before it reached her elbow. 

She saw the glow of his eye come back up to her after he broke away. The gray-purple glow across his face was also visible, though it seemed to blend in well with the ambiance of the night. "I am grateful to know you, Sara. Although I have known you for only a short time, you have proven yourself to be quite remarkable in your own way. And I may be hoping for too much, but I hope that what I feel may be returned. It need not be now, but...someday." The glow on his face intensified. 

The heat in Sara's own face grew hotter and she bit at the sleeve of her sweater to keep herself silent from any nonsensical sound she could possibly make in this situation. She didn't even trust herself to say his name. Her heart beat hard within her chest like she had been running for too long. 

The silence between them remained. Although she never said anything in response, Gaster must have seen something in her expression that helped him hold onto that hope because his look of gentle affection never wavered. He slipped his hand from her own and drew it behind him as he usually did. The lack of lukewarm heat and tingling of magic on her skin made her want to reach out and touch his hand again but she was still too surprised to do so. Instead, she brought in her hand and held it close to her. 

"I will let you get your rest now," he said quietly, breaking the silence, gesturing back towards the camp. Their stroll back was different--they walked side by side. Gaster escorted her back to her tent and gave a low bow to her a she was about to enter it. 

"Goodnight, Sara."

"G'night," she replied, her voice the softest whisper she had ever heard from herself. 

For a long time after Sara remained buried in her sleeping bag with the hand Gaster had held and 'kissed' grasped in the other, keeping it close to her face. She eventually fell back asleep like that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, who's been reading my story. Y'all are awesome!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog!
> 
> 'till next time~


	10. Questions of the Soul

Any time Sara looked at Gaster the following day it was with a mixed expression of embarrassment and thoughtfulness. He, himself, seemed a bit more flustered than usual too as she would see his cheeks glow faintly whenever they made eye contact. But he would still smile nonetheless. She found it endearing. 

Thus was her predicament as she sat at the edge of the dock with her legs hanging over the edge, her toes nearly dipping into the lake as she stared out at the water. The afternoon sun glared against the surface, the furthest edges of reflected light shimmering like sparklers. She kept fiddling with her hand, rubbing the back of her fingers with her thumb, or pulling gently at her fingers by the joints. What happened the night before lingered in her head and she kept replaying the event over and over in her mind's eye. 

Gaster had confessed affection for her, had he not? The more she thought about it, about him, and the admittedly limited time they'd known each other, the more embarrassed it made her. His calm, gentlemanly behavior and poise; the way he would become unusually animated and bright eyed when he wished to discuss something new he discovered in some way, even if she couldn't understand some of it; his consideration for her in almost every action and word; his simply having been there this whole time; the way his cheeks would light up with that peculiar color whenever he'd get flustered; the lingering tingle of magic from his touch; the smooth, ever so slightly throaty sound of his voice; the way he smiled at her, or chuckled when amused...

Sara buried her face in her hands as she felt her face burn up with each thought. How had she never noticed this before? It made her frustrated as well as flustered, the two emotions not really mixing well within herself which made her furrow her brow and look out on the lake with a displeased expression. 

"Hey, what's up?" came Cassy's voice. A moment later Sara's shapely friend was sitting next to her, her own legs dangling off the edge. 

"Just thinking," Sara muttered.

"About what?"

"Someone."

A smirk appeared on Cassy's face. "The wraith?"

Sara snapped her head to the side to face her friend, pouting. "He's not a--"

Cassy gave a nonchalant shrug. "It's what he looks like to me, sorry." The blonde remained pouting at the brunette for a moment longer before looking back out to the water. Cassy raised an eyebrow in question. "So, what about him are you thinking about?"

"Everything." She looked to her friend, then over her shoulder to glance at the monster himself, then back to her friend. "He's--Oh, I don't even know where to start."

"How about we start with: do you think you like him?"

"I dunno. Maybe?" 

"Well, what do you like about him?" Cassy asked. 

Sara bit at her lip and looked back over her shoulder to look at Gaster again. The memory of the night before was all the more vivid at that moment and she clenched the hand he had 'kissed.' "Everything," she muttered, never taking her eyes off of him. 

"Woooow," Cassy said, sounding genuinely impressed while leaning back. "If you have a crush on him, then you are crushing so hard right now. You didn't seem _that_ twitterpated before. What happened?"

She turned back around to face the water, brushing her fingertips along the back of her kissed hand. "Sudden realization, I guess."

Neither girl said anything after that, letting the moment hang there. 

"Well, Evan's got some really cute friends, if you decide against going with that Gaster guy," Cassy eventually said. 

"Evan?"

"Him." Cassy pointed out a trio of young man wading waist deep in the water as they tossed a football between one another. Sara recognized who her friend was referring to, since she had seen first show up last year. He was fairly attractive and had a boisterous personality that was likely due to his having spent most of his youth in sports with equally competitive teams and friends. "Evan's off-limits, though," Cassy continued. "We're going out on a proper date when we get back."

"Really? Him, though?" Sara questioned, looking a little worried for her friend. "He's been kind of rude lately." And by lately she meant since the start of the trip. Due to his personality the things he said and did over the past two days could possibly offend the targets of his attention. Sara had noticed that monsters seemed to take the brunt of it moreso than the other humans in the group. 

"That's just him teasing, don't worry about it."

Sara wanted to say something more, but decided she better drop it. Perhaps she was just reading too much into his behavior. Overall he did seem like an okay guy. She twisted herself around to pop her back and in the process caught sight of Gaster, who was conversing with a monster and human pair. They all seemed fairly animated about their topic and she guessed it was because they were talking about something dealing with science. As she turned back around Sara giggled to herself, remembering how Gaster was a bit more of a nerd than he let on.

• • •

The last day of the lake trip came and went and everyone carelessly tossed their things into their cars and trucks and drove back to face the last remaining weeks of their freedom via summer. The drive back for Sara and Gaster, however, held a hint of tension and awkwardness. Ever since that night beneath the sky full of stars the monster continued to behave as usual, although he would lose some of his composure if she got too close to him physically. Sara would occasional glance sideways at him and feel her own self get flustered the more she thought about it. It made the trip oddly quiet, save for the radio to fill the silence. 

For the past hour popular songs from yesteryear up towards the present played, and usually Sara would sing along to a few of the songs that she knew well but she just wasn't feeling it then. She blamed it on the slight feeling of stage fright due to Gaster's sitting right next to her. After the hour of music usually the useless commercials played, but instead they got a bit of news instead.

"Suspicious activity and violence towards the monster community has been on the rise over the past few days, and authorities are having a hard time pinpointing the sources," stated a female broadcaster. "Locals in surrounding counties claim that these activities are a result of a nationwide, and continually growing, anti-monster group calling itself Zero Ground. So far, victims of these acts of racism have been only monsters themselves, but there have been reports of humans who suppo--"

Sara practically slammed her palm against the dial to her radio, turning it off. She clenched her teeth together to keep herself from hissing at the ache in her hand she had caused herself. Neither Sara nor Gaster looked at each other for a while after that, the already awkward air between them now feeling tense too. 

It wasn't until had to stop for her to refuel the car and head back out on the road that the tension was broken.

"Hey, Gaster?" she asked quietly, getting his attention. Although he turned his head to look at her she did not. She was driving, so he understood that.

"Yes?"

"I just remembered that there was something I've been meaning to ask you."

He raised his brow bone quizzically, though held a spark of interest in his eye. "What is it?"

"Back at the lake, after we rescued the cat kid, I noticed that he was doing something to me. He kept putting his paw on my chest, and then I'd see this little pulse of light," she said, her hands lightly wringing the steering wheel as she spoke slowly, unsure how to word everything. "He was this trembling mess at first, after we got him out of the ravine, but the more he did...whatever it was...to me the more calm he seemed to be." The memories returned to her with surprising vividness. "And I saw something similar after his parents came to get him, but it was with him and his mom. Some kind of glow between them."

Gaster blinked after she finished then sat back a little further into the passenger's seat. "You wish me to explain this?"

"That's why I asked. Can you, though?"

"Yes." He steepled his fingers in front of him. Had he more leg room he would have crossed them. "The glow you saw was that of the soul."

"That seriously is a thing?" Sara asked, unintentionally interrupting him in her growing curiosity. Although it was something hush-hush there were blogs and articles written by individuals a few months after monsters first appeared that mentioned how they were able to view souls. Surprisingly, it was never something big that was discussed, and it was likely due to many disliking the idea of monsters being able to make visible something so personal. 

"Yes," Gaster replied. He looked thoughtfully down at his hands. "In answer to your question about the child and what he was doing to you: such behavior is usual with monster children when they are scared and seek comfort. Exposure of souls between lovers, or family, brings feelings of tranquility and happiness, as well as helps to develop stronger bonds between all those involved. The child was likely attempting to bring yours out but could not, due to his youth and thus inexperience with such a gesture, and so could only cause the pulsing you mentioned." 

Silence fell between them again as Sara took in the monster's words. So, the cat boy had simply been trying to do what his mother or father would have done to bring himself some sense of comfort against the overwhelming negative emotions he had been exposed to up to that point. As she thought about the colored light emitting from her chest the more curious she got about souls. Was there a difference between human and monster souls? What did they look like? What would it feel like to see one's soul?

"Did you," Gaster started, sounding hesitant. "Did you happen to see what color the light was coming from you? I could not tell, myself." 

Sara sighed, sinking into her seat a bit more. "I can't really say for certain. It'd appear then disappear so quickly..."

"Ah...I see." He sounded disappointed. 

She bit and chewed on her lip, thinking. It seemed as though it wasn't just her who was curious about her soul. Her fingers were wringing the steering wheel tighter now. Familiar signs began to appear on the side of the road, signaling that the two were getting close to making it back to her apartment. 

"When we make it back...do you think you could show me my soul?"

Gaster startled, snapping his head to the side to stare at Sara in near shock. The gray-purple glow of his blush was the most intense that she had ever seen. She suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed for having asked such a thing. It made her feel like she'd just asked for the both of them to strip. 

"I-I mean, uh, I'm just curious, so I thought I'd ask. So, yeah...uh..."

"A-as I said," Gaster stuttered, suddenly finding the passing scenery outside his window very interesting, "exposing the soul is usually done between family or...lovers. It's a very personal experience."

"Sorry. Don't worry about it then." 

Once again the silence returned. This time, it stuck around stubbornly like a small bug that just wouldn't buzz out the window even said window was wide open. However, in that silence Sara remained curious; why had Gaster asked about color? She hadn't noticed color when she had caught sight of the glow between the cat monster family. Was that something significant? The questions continued to be added to her mental list. 


	11. A New Face

She had to admit, she was not entirely looking forward to facing senior year of college. It meant focusing on huge finals and major projects that would determine if she had been a sufficiently efficient student and thus worthy of graduating. Her professors, from the start of spring of her Junior year, until the days leading up to summer break, warned her that she would have a lot on her plate---although the same could be said with any student who made it to that point in their educational career. 

There were only two weeks left before a new semester started, signaling the beginning of the end. Each day it drew closer the harder Sara focused on not thinking about it. Thankfully, a fairly large distraction happened at the bakery around that same time...

Sara's hands were shoved into the front pockets of her apron while Whinnie fluttered about happily the new guy's head as Lulu gave her welcome to her shop. Matt was a young man with a slightly heavier build, but was balanced by his standing just under six feet tall. His hair was a little longer than usual, but was slicked back and do the side which allowed the light to hit some of the strands just right and reveal it to have some rust color amidst the more brown shades. He also had just a touch of facial hair like he'd forgotten to shave that day, yet it too revealed his beginning beard to have the same rust color. He had a broad smile, slightly crooked, and eyes the same color as dark chocolate. 

Lu had been in need of additional hands in the shop ever since summer began and so part of the time she had gone through one application after another searching for someone she hoped would be the best addition. Matt's calm, brotherly personality combined with his previous experience as a waiter won the rabbit over. 

"You're going to shadow Sara for the next two weeks. You'll need to memorize the recipes for our cookies and brownies too, but don't worry about the cinnabunnies. Either Sara or myself handle making those," said Lu.

"I made a binder with the different recipes," Sara commented. "You can take it home to memorize everything if you need to, just make sure to bring it back."

"Thanks. Memorizing shouldn't be a problem," Matt said back. "But I'll still look through it anyway."

It was a good thing that Lulu hired Matt when she did. Due to Sara's returning to school soon her time at the bakery would be reduced, thus Matt's being around would help immensely. Because he already graduated from college over a year ago he had a lot more time on his hands and could take up the hours that Sara couldn't be there. 

"How long have you worked here?" he asked as she showed him the back of the bakery and got him familiar with the placement of equipment, ingredients, and so on. 

"For a number of months now," she replied. Then, she paused, putting a hand on her hip. "Actually...I think it's been just over six months. I'm going to need to do something once I hit the one year mark."

"Planning on sticking around long enough to celebrate one year working here?" he asked.

"This is one of the best places I've worked at. I'm totally sticking around for as long as I can here," Sara replied.

"Not a lot of people can say that about their jobs, so what you just said says a lot about this place."

"Lu is awesome, Whinnie is a sweetheart, and now there's you too."

"What, not including yourself in the equation?" he asked.

Sara shrugged. "Eh, I'm just me: a girl who lucked out in getting a job at a bakery...with monsters."

"Well, since Lulu seems to trust only you to help make her signature cinnabunnies..." Matt smirked. "You give yourself too little credit, I say."

"Ehh, I haven't perfected making those yet, so..."

"You will," Matt said, giving a wide smile and a friendly pat to her shoulder. He really did give off a brotherly vibe.

• • •

The remaining days of the week were the most peculiar for Sara, and only because she personally felt peculiar. She wasn't used to showing the ropes to anyone, as she had been thoroughly trained by both Lulu and Whinnie after getting hired, and the responsibility of helping Matt get adjusted was a new experience for her. He definitely was more accustomed to this sort of atmosphere than she had been. He always chalked it up to his previous job as a waiter. 

"So, what other jobs did you have before coming here?"

"Not as many as you might think," he replied. He paused for a moment as he was measuring vanilla to pour into the giant bowl for the current brownie batter in front of them. His momentary distraction almost caused him to fill the measuring spoon beyond its limits and thus spill its excess into the bowl. He caught himself at the last second, giving a goofy 'whoops' kind of smile. "I've worked as a waiter, cashier, and even as a janitor once. That was my first job, and was my least favorite."

"Which one was your favorite?"

"Truth be told, none of them I'd call my favorite."

"Well, that'll make working here that much nicer."

"Looking forward to it."

Matt did, indeed, catch on quick. And a good thing too since each day that he shadowed her was also a reminder of how much less time she had to herself as summer was drawing to a close. It tended to add to her stress, if only by a fraction. It was a constant reminder like an itch that happened to be in the most inconvenient spot on the body. 

Later, during a lunch break on Sara's last days of working at the bakery with the summer work schedule she had gotten used to, she was sitting outside and chatting with Cassy again. The two had even fewer opportunities to get together ever since the shapely girl became Evan's girlfriend after the lake trip. Evan seemed pretty chill about it, while Cassy was the eager one to hang out with him as much as she could. Such behavior made Sara think of her friend like a dog that wagged its tail extra vigorously or pranced around happily whenever its owner was near. 

It was nice to do her usual thing of having lunch with her friend. I little bit of normalcy in her life in comparison to her having the responsibility of basically training Matt at the bakery as well as Gaster's presence in her life. The sudden thought of Gaster made the corners of her mouth pull up in the beginnings of a smile. 

"You thinking about the new guy? Is he cute?" Cassy asked with a devious little smirk on her lips. Sara had just been talking about how quickly Matt was adjusting to working in the bakery, as well as her impending relief in finishing his 'training,' so it made sense that her friend was still following that particular topic. 

"What? No! Cassy, ever since you hooked up with Even you're even more eager to talk about boyfriends and relationships."

"It makes me realize how lacking of a relationship you have," she replied. "When was the last time you went on a date? Called some cute guy your boyfriend?"

"I think freshman year..."

"See what I mean?" she blurted out. 

Sara shrugged sheepishly. Sure, ever since that time she'd look at guys and think they were cute but she never felt enough of an urge to ask one of them out or pursue some sort of romantic interest. She simply was more focused on other things. 

It was Cassy's turn to shrug. "Well, school's starting back up soon so maybe you'll find somebody cute in class." Her smirk returned as she waggled her eyebrows playfully. "I want to go on double dates!"

The blonde chuckled. "You just want more reasons to cling to Evan."

"That too. When you like someone as much as I like him, you'll understand."

"Wow, you're making yourself sound old," Sara commented.

"Oh, shush."

Cassy's words did cause Sara to look thoughtful, chin in hand as her elbow was propped on the table where they sat enjoying their food. Her thoughts were brought towards the one person who was making a lasting impression on her---Gaster.

Ever since his confession to her that night at the lake Sara had not been able to fully determine how to respond to him. It made her all the more thankful that he would be patient for her to reply. His behavior since then was almost no different than before, save for his getting flustered and nervous whenever she came close to him for whatever reason, even if it was to reach over and grab something. Although, she couldn't deny that she also got a bit flustered around him, depending on the situation. Similarly to him she felt her face heat up and would quickly pull her hands away from his whenever they were close to touching. The sensation of his smooth bone combined with the tingle of magic only reminded her of his kiss to her hand and the unique feeling it brought. 

But, even through their own nervousness around each other there was still the undeniable feeling of shy happiness she felt when she was near him. She had admitted to herself even back then, during the lake trip, that she liked him and everything about him. So, what was the issue? Mostly, she didn't quite know how to say 'I like you' back to someone like him. It seemed like such a simple thing to do.

"I'll just tell him," she said softly, smiling and feeling an embarrassed giggle rise in her throat.

"Tell who? Tell who what?" Cassy asked. 

With the same little smile on her face Sara checked her watch then rose from her seat and began to head back to the bakery. 

"Wait, Sara! Tell me!" The blonde simply kept walking. Cassy clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Fine. Good luck telling whoever it is whatever you want to say."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading my story, so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog.
> 
> 'till next time~


	12. The Shape of Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness! Thank you everyone who's left a comment or kudos, or even bookmarked my story! I really appreciate that there are so many people out there who like this story. Y'all are wonderful~

Even after her decision to admit liking Gaster back she still had to build up the courage to do it. It made her feel like she was back in middle school and admitting her feelings to her crush, which had always gotten her super nervous. It wasn't until the day before her new semester of classes would start that she finally steeled her nerves to say it. 

What she wasn't expecting, however, was the _way_ she'd say it. 

After having dinner she was cleaning up her used dishes and fidgeting where she stood at the sink while she chewed on her lip. She also glanced over her shoulder multiple times to look at Gaster, who did notice this now and then. Their eyes met again and Gaster rose from his seated position on her couch to approach her. He looked worried.

"Something is bothering you," he said calmly, despite his expression. "And has been lately. May I ask what?"

This was not making things any easier. Sara turned off the water and dried her hands while her heart hammered within her chest. She figured just treat the situation like a band-aid, just rip if off quick, do it quick. She took a deep breath and turned to look at the monster, a surprising look of resolution in her eyes. 

"Gaster...I want to see my soul. I want you to see it."

Gaster suddenly looked as flustered as the day of the drive back from the lake, his face alight with its gray-purple glow. He didn't seem to know what to do with his hands and quickly stuffed them behind his back, though his phalanges remained fiddling with each other there. He also couldn't bring himself to look at Sara mostly due to the embarrassment he felt at her making such a request, and so suddenly as well.

"S-Sara, you do remember what I said about--"

"I know," she said, cutting him off. The resolution in her eyes was still there. The monster hesitantly brought himself to look her in the eye. He swallowed. "I trust you, Gaster."

Sara gripped the edge of the counter behind her with both hands and felt her face heat up as the words came. "I like you too, Gaster. I like listening to you go on and on about stuff, especially anything science because you're so enthusiastic about it, even if I don't understand half of what you mention. I like how you're always home to welcome me; I like how you're so gentle and kind. You're so sweet. I like..." She hesitated, pulling her eyes away as her face burned. "I like the sound of your voice and the way you laugh when something's funny to you; I like the way you smile at me. 

"You've become a person that I really like having around. Cherish having around, even. And I guess...I'm sorry that it took me so long to finally say it myself. So...it's okay, G. I trust you."

Nearly Gaster's entire skull had changed color, turning the usual gray-purple color. Nervousness churned within him, but rising from it came the feelings of surprise, happiness, and relief. With his blush still glowing brightly on his face eased from shock to a smile. It was a brighter smile than Sara had ever seen him make before. 

His form, which had slackened due to his surprise, steadied again and he rolled his shoulders back before bringing one hand out in front of him with the palm up for her to grasp. Sara placed her hand on his and immediately felt the tingling of magic on her skin as her fingertips brushed lightly along the smooth bone of his hand, one tracing the rim of the hole in his palm. His long phalanges lightly wrapped around her hand and with a gentle pull he silently beckoned her out of the kitchen.

He sat them both down on the couch facing each other. His thumb brushed across the backs of her fingers before he let go and brought his hand up towards the center of her chest. However, he paused for a moment, looking down at Sara as if to make sure this was really okay; she nodded. He curled his finger in a beckoning motion.

Sara blinked as she felt a tugging sensation within herself. It felt similar to the tension of a rubber band as it stretched further and further. She watched as a small object materialized, giving off a gentle colored glow in a particular shade of green, before the light brightened and the object solidified into the shape of a heart. It was a small, symmetrically shaped heart, only a few inches both tall and across as it floated in front of her chest. 

Gaster had a look of wonder on his face as the soft green glow of her soul illuminated the space between them. His hands reached out and cradled her soul carefully as it floated in the air as if he were handling a fragile trinket made of the most delicate glass. Sara, meanwhile, was a mixture of emotions: nervousness, embarrassment, and her own sense of wonder, nearly forgetting to breathe because she was so mesmerized at the sight of it. And, she never felt so exposed before either. 

"You're beautiful," Gaster whispered. There was reverence along with wonder in his voice. 

She felt her face heat up. "D-don't you mean 'it'? My soul, I mean," she stuttered.

"No, you," he said with surety, looking right into her eyes. There was a wide smile on his face. The green glow coming from her blended with the glow still radiating from his own cheekbones. "Your soul is the very essence of who you are: your talents, your flaws, your thoughts and emotions, hopes and dreams. It is you. And, you're beautiful."

Sara felt tears welling up in her eyes and blamed it on her soul being exposed, making her feel that much more sensitive. A strangled whimper came from her throat as she covered her face in her hands. Her face was warm like she had gotten sunburned. 

Gaster was absolutely entranced. He felt the warmth of her being seep into his bones and it gave him a kind of comfort he had not felt in so long. He also felt, deep within her soul, such a soothing sensation that resonated slowly into him it was almost as if he could feel his actual body again. As he gazed at her soul he felt, more than saw, various memories--experiences--that helped to shape the girl into who she was. It was fitting she had a green colored soul.

"Kindness," he said, his voice soft.

"Wha--?"

"Human souls have color to them. Each color represents a specific aspect of them that dictates their actions, a virtue that they hold the strongest to. Green represents kindness." 

"Kindness," Sara repeated, her own voice as soft as his. Her eyes never broke away from the little heart as she cupped her own hands around it, the back of her hands resting into Gaster's palms. 

The two remained that way for a few more minutes, sitting in reverent silence with the soft green glow of Sara's soul illuminating their faces, everything else around them absolutely forgotten. But, eventually, Gaster gave a contented sigh as he gently urged the girl's soul to where it belonged within her. The tense feeling within her chest while it had remained exposed eased and faded. He then grasped her hands in both of his. 

"Thank you, Sara, for allowing me to see...you."

Sara gave a lopsided smile. "Yeah. That was...unlike anything I ever thought it would be."

"Now you understand why revealing the soul can be such a personal, intimate, experience," he said.

She nodded then gripped at his hands. "Do you think...maybe...I could see yours?" she asked quietly. 

Gaster tensed. After such an experience of seeing Sara's gentle soul he suddenly became self-conscious of his own. It wasn't as if he didn't want to reveal it to her; part of him truly desired to return the gesture she had so willingly done, but the other part of him worried over what could possibly happen. His was hardly the proper example of a monster soul. His jaw clenched and he brought his gaze down. 

"I..."

"Please?" 

He suddenly felt like a coward. Sara had willingly revealed her soul to him in answer to his hopes of how he felt about her. He had felt it when he had cradled her soul in his hands--the awkward, embarrassed, but undeniable certainty of her own feelings for him. And yet here he was, hesitating. 

"Please?" she said again, her voice just as soft as she rested her hands on his. 

Gaster remained tense, unable to bring himself to look at her. His jaw clenched again but just as quickly eased as he brought his free hand to his chest and rested it there for a few seconds before drawing it away slowly. 

Sara's eyes widened in wonder as she watched a glow emit from his chest and radiate between his phalanges before he revealed his soul as it floated above the open hole in his palm. She didn't realize it but she took in a long, slow gasp at the sight of it. 

It was in a heart shape, just like her own, but that's where the similarities ended. His soul hovered upside-down, the bottom point sticking up in the air. It gave off a faint glow in a pale gray color, unlike the radiance of Sara's green colored soul. And, the one thing that made Sara's expression soften in compassion was the fact that there were long, jagged cracks within his soul. It looked as though he had taken a strike against his being, and anything more would make the fragile thing shatter.

"Gaster..."

She brought her eyes up to try and look at him, but his head remained bowed. She also realized that he was trembling under her touch. She gazed at his soul, its aura seeping through her, feeling faintly the emotions he was currently going through. Sara realized that Gaster was likely afraid of how she would treat him upon seeing the state of his soul. 

"Gaster," she repeated, her voice soft and gentle. She reached out with both hands, cupping them around his soul and feeling a faint tingling of magic radiating from it on her skin. It was that similar sensation of it travelling up every inch of her nerves in her hands and arms. "It's alright. You have a beautiful soul too."

"My...It's nothing like yours."

"It doesn't have to be. It still..." She paused, closing her eyes and allowing herself to focus on the sensations coming from his soul. She felt his emotions, she felt moments within his life and winced at one in particular. 

Her expression fell though as she looked up at him in concern. "What happened to you?"

"I..." He choked. "I can't...Not yet." 

Sara looked back down to his soul and saw it trembling along with him. Such a view before her made her want to reach out and hug him, but with his soul exposed she remained sitting still, worried about jostling the wounded little heart. 

"Okay. You don't have to tell me now."

"I did say that I would tell you my story---all of it. And I will, Sara. Soon," Gaster said, finally looking her in the eyes. 

"I believe you."

Sara was left wondering as Gaster took his soul back into himself and the faint feeling of its presence dissipated. He said how human souls had color to them. So, then, why didn't monster souls have color to theirs? Why was his soul cracked? What happened to cause that? Was there a way to heal it? 

Slowly she brought her arms up and leaned in to the monster, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and embracing him. He was still surprised at such gestures as hugs were not something that happened much between them. Nevertheless he wasn't one to refuse her, and so he brought his arms around her and hugged her back. The solidity of his form faltered somewhat and Sara smiled in amusement as she felt herself sink slightly into the blackness. The sensation of it still reminded her of a gel pack. The two held the embrace for a moment longer before they pulled away. Sara grasped one of his hands and smiled at him reassuringly. 

Answers would come, in time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading my story!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog
> 
> 'till next time~


	13. Senior Year

Sara didn't sleep that night. She simply laid there in her bed, her covers half kicked off her body, with her fingertips lightly resting on the center of her chest where her soul had manifested itself. She imagined how its glow would look in the dark space of her room, possibly illuminating even to the corners of her room with that particular shade of green. More than once she wondered just what exact shade it was and would then remind herself again to look into that.

And then her mind would wander to the memory of seeing Gaster's broken soul. She had felt the hurt but never quite got the sense of which memory it came from. It was the strangest thing to _feel_ some of his memories, as if she herself were experiencing them. But they had faded just as quickly as they had come. It made her feel sad. 

She kept wondering over and over if there was something she could do, some way to help heal over the cracks in his soul. Was such a thing even possible? If so, how could it be done? Sara sighed as she rolled over to her side and caught sight of her alarm clock, the numbers saying how she still had a half hour before the alarm itself would go off. But she wasn't tired, she didn't want to close her eyes, she just wished she could do something for Gaster. It just wasn't fair that a monster as gentle and considerate as him suffered a wounded soul within him. She felt her chest tighten and wondered if that feeling came from her soul of kindness.

• • •

Gaster opted to stay behind while Sara drove off to campus and begin her first day of classes. He was currently reading through one of the books she'd picked out for leisurely reading but never quite got around to. Although, after the third chapter he was more analyzing the writer's style rather than actually reading the story. She made a mental note to check out the science building before heading home after classes.

With the way her classes were set up Monday and Tuesday would be her busiest days, but then the work would taper off once Wednesday and Thursday would roll around until she had no classes at all on Friday effectively giving her a three day weekend every week for the semester. Part of her hoped that the same thing would hold true for the following, and thus last, semester of her college career. So, Sara was kept busy for the morning hours of the day, jogging to her first class and settling herself down in one of the unoccupied chairs. She saw a few familiar faces from her earlier semesters and struck up conversation with them. The topic was usually that of what they did over the course of the summer. 

After her morning classes the girl had some time to have lunch and even relax for an extra amount of time until her one and only afternoon class. That one, however, was an extended class period, keeping her seated in the same room for two and a half hours. At least it was only two days a week. So, while having lunch that she got from the campus cafe she noticed how there seemed to be student supervisors going about the campus grounds showing small groups of monsters around. She couldn't help but tilt her head curiously at the sight. She made another mental note to ask one of her professors about it.

One of her classmates beat her to it though.

"So, what's up with the monsters touring around campus?" Thankfully, there wasn't any hint of distaste in Sara's classmate's question, just pure curiosity. 

However, her professor did look unsettled at having to answer the question. He looked out the window to a trio of monsters being guided around by one of the faculty. "Lately there has been discussion on whether or not to make certain public schools and universities allow monsters as both students and faculty. Our school happens to be one on the list in which to examine and survey. If things go well we might start having monster students by the start of next year, monster faculty a little after that."

Sara rather liked the idea of having monsters be accepted into the educational system just like anyone else. Up until now they had been performing their studies in separate buildings, having classes segregated from other humans. However, shortly after the one year mark of monsters emerging there was an announcement of kindergartens and elementary schools experimenting with allowing human and monster children to interact with each other. To the surprise of many, it was a huge success. Ever since then there was an even harder push towards allowing the rest of monster kind to be included. And, from the looks of it, there was finally going to be progress.

Further questions were asked but the professor waved them off and insisted getting back into focusing on syllabus for the class. Great, she was going to need two tomes from the bookstore for this class. Thankfully she had talked to her parents earlier in the week about classes starting back up and the exorbitant prices she would have to pay for books. Her backpack was going to weigh way too much by the time she hauled herself back to her apartment. And she still had two more classes to get books for the following day. 

And then there were the additional books, totally unrelated to her subject, that she still intended to bring back with her. Thankfully the science building was on the way towards the center of campus where majority of student body movement happened. At the center of campus were a cluster of buildings: the main office and admissions, the university's little cafe, book store, as well as the main auditorium. There were two others located elsewhere on campus, but those were mostly used for additional seating for students during final exams or for performances from the music or drama departments. 

To the west side was the library, and to the north was the enormous gym and rec rooms. Then, in a generally organized fashion were the rest of the buildings for students and professors to gather. English and history tended to have buildings close together; art, music, and theater had their section of campus, while the science and math related buildings were in another area. Located on the furthest edge of the main buildings were the student, on-campus housing options.

"Excuse me," Sara said sheepishly as she poked her head into one of the professors' offices for the science building. Thankfully she caught their attention. "Um, do you know if there are any extra science books up for grabs? Used or anything like that works just fine..."

The professor sitting at his desk gestured towards the stairwell leading down that would bring students to the labs. "I think Professor Wall has some in the third lab. Might want to check the door when you get there."

"Okay, thank you!"

Professor Wall was someone Sara knew from when she was still dealing with General Ed classes during her first two years of college. He was generally an easy going teacher so long as the students behaved, which they did most of the time. Whenever they did get out of hand, however, he could easily get the disruptive youth back in order with a sudden raising of his voice into an unquestioningly authoritative tone. As a father of four sons it made sense that he had to maintain control in some way. 

Sara tested the handle to the door of the third lab in the basement and found it unlocked. Just as she was slipping in another student slipped out and she caught sight of the professor himself putting things away into his briefcase. 

"Professor Wall?"

He looked up when he heard his name called and his neutral expression brightened. "Ah, I remember your face. Ms. Rhode was it?" 

"Yes, sir. I was wondering if there were extra science books I could take?"

He still had a friendly expression on his face, but he raised a single brow in curiosity. "You're not a science major, so why the interest?"

"I was hoping to get some old texts for a friend. Huge science nerd. I think you'd like him, now that I think about it," she replied.

The professor turned and looked back towards one of the two storage closets in the lab. One held the actual materials used for related classes, while the other was more for workbooks, lost and found, as well as textbooks too old or mangled to be returned to the bookstore to then be resold as 'used.' He opened the latter and allowed the girl entry. "Less stuff to keep on the shelves, so go ahead."

Sara left with a stack of books over a foot high in her arms.

• • •

"Don't tell me those are all for your classes," came a familiar voice as Sara was making her way towards her car.

"Cassy!" She had a friendly smile on her face, but it faltered slightly when she saw that her friend had her arm wrapped around the waist of her boyfriend, Evan, while he had his arm draped across her shoulders. She wasn't used to the sight of them together yet. "Nah, they're science stuff." Her smile softened. "They're for Gaster."

"The wraith guy?" Evan asked. Sara quickly shot him a displeased expression. He shrugged it off. "How are you not wary of the guy? Babe says he looks creepy, and I agree."

"He's not creepy," Sara retorted, feeling defensive. Memories from the night before came back in a rush. She recalled his look of wonder, the care and caution he showed with her soul, the reverence in his voice as he spoke. She felt a ripple of emotion spread through her from the center of her chest. "There's nothing creepy about him," she added. 

"To you, maybe," Evan commented back. "We still think he looks weird," he continued, meaning himself and his girlfriend.

"And, as my personal opinion, Sara," he said, leaning forward slightly towards the blonde, "keep it as friends between him and any other monster, if you have to. Humanity was just fine as it was. Let them mind their own business, and we'll mind our own."

Evan nudged Cassy onward, heading towards a different part of the parking lot, likely heading towards their respective cars. However, his words left Sara baffled. "What was that about?" she murmured. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog. Or, if you want, send me a message! 
> 
> 'till next time~


	14. Side Effects

Needless to say, Gaster was ecstatic when Sara arrived with the textbooks and said they were for him. The spark of light in his socket was the brightest she'd ever seen when he took the tomes from her arms and examined the covers of each. He immediately began to ramble off his questions and curiosities about human science and what they had come up with over time. 

"I'm glad you like them," Sara said, awkwardly wringing her hands together as if worried she was bothering him from his thoughts. 

That worry dissipated when Gaster took notice of her behavior and grasped one of her hands in his. The excitement was still seen in how bright the light shone in his pupil but he also had his affectionate smile as his thumb brushed over her fingers. "I truly do. That you even thought to do this for me humbles me." He brought her hand up and, like he had done only once before, touched her fingers to his mouth, 'kissing' her hand. "Thank you, Sara. This will certainly answer much that I have wondered about. I look forward to reading them."

The tingling through her nerves at his kiss made her face gain a faint shade of pink. Her girly, giddy smile appeared as well. When he released her hand she went right back to awkwardly wringing her hands. "Good. I, uh...I should get started on my work. Yeah..."

Gaster simply nodded in understanding, but then watched her with a sense of amusement as she practically tripped over herself to disappear into her room. 

As soon as the door closed Sara leaned back against it, then slowly slid down until she was sitting while still clutching her heavy backpack to her chest. Her heart was running a race with itself within her chest, and even deeper within herself--at her very core--she felt a pulsing sensation. She assumed it was her soul. It was a peculiar combination she wasn't used to, feeling embarrassment from her heart yet peace and contentment within her soul. She wished she could see the green light of it right then.

• • •

The following days led to the two of them slowly getting more daring and touching each other more often, even if it was just between their hands. Though, there were moments Sara would reach her arms around him and embrace him, sinking slightly into the blackness. Gaster would always have his hands resting lightly on her shoulders while he tilted his head down to look at her, smiling affectionately as he usually did when his gaze was on her. The combination of the sensation of his magic along with the contentment she felt in her core would usually leave her in a happy, yet thoughtful, daze long after the gesture was done.

And so it was for her one day after finishing classes in the morning and heading to the bakery for work. Her mismatched eyes stared, unfocused, at nothing in particular as she kneaded the heels of her hands into the dough that would eventually get rolled up and baked into cinnabunnies. She was so out of it that she didn't even hear Matt or Whinnie call her name multiple times to try and get her attention. It wasn't until the little flying monster tapped her shoulder that she was finally brought out of her daze.

"Hm?"

"You've been kneading the dough for over ten minutes, Sara."

"Wh--I have?" She glanced back and forth between the monster and the dough. "Whoops. Sorry about that," she added, giving a sheepish smile. 

Whinnie nuzzled the side of Sara's face, her little hands resting on the girl's ear. "It's alright. I was just a little worried that you weren't responding."

Sara couldn't help but keep smiling, always finding the Whimsun's actions endearing. "Sorry to have worried you, Whinnie."

But it kept happening. The curious daze Sara would go into as she thought about Gaster, feeling the skip in her heartbeat combined with the serenity from within the depths of her being. She became more and more convinced that feeling came from her soul the more she felt it. It always brought a smile to her face whenever her thoughts trailed to her soul, still able to remember with perfect clarity the glow of that little heart--whose shade she discovered was parakeet green--as it had hovered between herself and Gaster. But as soon as she would think of his own soul, that sense of serenity became an ache, a clenching in her chest that made wish over and over again she could fix the cracks she had seen. 

She had yet to figure out if there was anything she could do...

The questions remained with her for even more days, and as she sat by herself during her lunch break she knew in the back of her mind that Cassy would have gotten on her case for the expression she was likely wearing on her face. Whenever she got thoughtful about anything Sara would usually look like she was upset or angry at something, even though that was hardly the truth. Even though her mind was still troubled she was thankful that the cinnabunny she got to treat herself with helped to keep the rest of her feeling okay. Whatever tiredness she felt faded away, the slight ache in the arches of her feet relaxed, and it felt like she'd just gotten her back massaged. 

Wait...

Sara paused mid-chew to look down at the pastry. Now she looked puzzled as she stared at it as if it was going to do something other than leave her fingers sticky. The cinnabunny left her feeling refreshed, and that wasn't something she noticed whenever she made them. That was usually the effect noted by herself and patrons after eating the treats that Lulu made. But, Sara had been making the cinnabunnies lately, so why was that? Usually they just tasted really good, but there were no...side effects. She tore off a piece of the pastry, finished off the rest, and quickly made her way back to the bakery. 

"Hey, Lu!" Sara called out, poking her head into the rabbit's little office. Lulu was still in the middle of her lunch break, finishing off a salad. The rabbit's ears perked up higher when she heard the girl's familiar voice and looked up. 

"What is it?" Lulu asked. 

"Could you do an experiment for me?"

Lulu leaned back in her chair, looking at her employee quizzically. Nevertheless, she nodded. "Alright. What is it?"

Sara revealed the ripped off piece of her cinnabunny which she saved by wrapping it up in a napkin and offered it out to Lulu. "Could you eat this and tell me if you can figure out what's different about it?"

Lulu now looked worried. "Different? You haven't been changing up my recipe have you?"

Sara put her hands in defense. "No! Never! I just...I need your thoughts on this. Please."

The rabbit remained looking up quizzically at the girl but did as requested. She chewed normally through the bite for a moment before slowing, raising an eyebrow, and glancing up at Sara. Her expression now was almost one of suspicion, but then that became a look of near amazement. 

"I know!" Sara exclaimed. "I don't really get it though. I mean, I've been making them lately, and I've been following the recipe for months now, so I don't really get why things suddenly changed."

Lulu swallowed her bite and looked up proudly at Sara. Finally that something that had been missing from the girl's attempts at cinnabunnies was there. "Nothing changed about your way of making these, Sara," Lulu started. "You did."

"Wha--What's that go to do with..."

"Magic."

Sara's mouth hung open as she stared stupidly at the rabbit. She then gaped like a goldfish for a few extra seconds before recollecting herself. "M-Magic? But, isn't that something only monsters do?" she sputtered. "Humans can't use magic!"

"Humans _do_ have magic. _You_ have magic. Humans just haven't used it in so long that they've forgotten." 

"But that's crazy! Human's can't--"

"Sara," Lulu interrupted, her voice a little more stern, "You know the story of how we monsters were freed from the mountain, right?" She looked expectantly at the girl.

"Yeah. A kid freed you after breaking some kind of barrier that kept you underground."

"That barrier was erected centuries ago by humans to keep us there. How was it that they made it in the first place?"

Realization began to dawn on the girl. "...magic."

"Exactly. Humans are capable of magic. And it seems you've finally begun to tap into that." The rabbit glanced back down at the empty space on the napkin where the piece of cinnabunny had been.

"How can you be so certain about that, Lu?"

Lulu's gaze became distant, looking at something far beyond the walls of her office, beyond the boundaries of her bakery. She had a small smile on her muzzle. "I've seen it. It leaves a potent, lingering effect on you long after being exposed to it. It's the music that still plays in your head, even when you're not listening to it right then; it's the words that keep repeating themselves even after you're done reading them; it's the feeling that lingers with you even after the scene from a movie or play is past." 

She paused, resting a paw onto her chest. "It's something indescribable that you feel within you," she said as a pink tint appeared on the tips of her fur above her cheeks, "something you never notice until someone appears and makes you notice it. 

Sara tensed where she stood, feeling her face suddenly get warmer. Her thoughts immediately went to a certain monster, and she felt that distinct pulse of comfort from within the depths of her being as well as the usual increase of her heartbeat within her chest. She still wasn't used to that duo of sensations.

The longer she stood there the more the monster's explanation made more sense. Perhaps magic amongst humans wasn't as impossible as originally thought as she thought about music, writing, poetry, art, discoveries and the lingering effect it had on humanity. She recalled the saying of 'putting your heart and soul' into something. The phrase suddenly felt that much more literal as she wondered how that amount of dedication, passion, could be considered magic. 

"So, yes," Lulu said, looking back to Sara, who looked back at her in return. "Humans can use magic. And, it looks like I guessed right about the kind you could use." 

"What kind am I capable of?" Sara asked.

The rabbit's smile broadened, looking proudly at the girl again. "The same kind I can use---healing."

Sara felt her breath get caught in her throat as she gasped. She pressed her hand into the center of her chest and gripped at her apron covering it. She felt a swell of hope and amazement spread from her center as her thoughts returned to Gaster and his cracked soul, replacing the lingering feeling of sadness she had felt for him ever since seeing the wounded thing. Perhaps...perhaps there was a way she could help him! Perhaps, somehow, she could _heal_ him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog. Feel free to leave me a message too!
> 
> 'till next time~


	15. Strike Two

She had fifteen minutes before her class started, so she wasn't too worried about being late as she peeked through the glass slit in the door allowing a view inside the science lab. At the moment there was only Professor Wall inside as he pulled out the related text to the class he would be teaching shortly before turning around and writing with red marker on the dry-erase board. Quietly opening the door she peered inside.

"Professor Wall?"

He immediately turned to see who called for him, and gave a friendly smile when he saw Sara. "Ah, Ms. Rhode, good to see you again. What brings you to the lab?"

Sara opened the door wide to allow herself and Gaster inside. She had invited him to come with her to campus so that he could have the opportunity to look around the science building, as well as possibly peek into any classes dealing with science or math that caught his interest. In one of his hands was the second journal Sara had gotten for him with already more than half its pages full of his personal thoughts and notes, all written in those peculiar symbols. His other had was gently held in Sara's own. 

"I brought my friend, the one I mentioned the other day who I thought you'd like." She looked to Gaster who looked to Professor Wall with a small smile and hesitant nod of his head. "Professor, this is Gaster. Doctor Gaster." There was a hint of pride in her voice when she called him 'doctor' and his smile turned sheepish. 

"Well, she didn't mention you were a doctor," he replied as he approached and brought out his hand to shake. Gaster returned the gesture cordially. "It's safe to assume that you're a doctor of science?"

"You assume correctly, sir," the monster replied.

"Please," Professor Wall started, giving a dismissive wave of his hand, "call me Robert, or Rob."

"Very well. What is it exactly that you teach?"

"I usually teach three hundred, and four hundred, level classes of Chemistry and Biology; so, I teach the Juniors and Seniors on campus. Sometimes I teach G.E. science classes as well, but that's every other year." He paused to glance over at the clock mounted high on the wall. "I actually have Organic Chemistry starting in a few minutes. Would you like to stay and observe?"

Gaster looked down at Sara, who smiled back as she brushed her fingertips down his own bony fingers as she released his hand. "Stick around and watch. You could probably talk to the other professors too, if you're curious about their classes."

"I had considered that," Gaster replied. "And I believe I will do that. Is there a time I should be mindful of, since you have your own classes elsewhere?"

"Don't worry about me," Sara said. "I'll come find you afterwards. I'll see you later, G." She gave him another smile before turning and trotting off, disappearing around the corner as she went off to class.

As Professor Wall watched the interaction between the two he certainly noticed the gentle tones and affectionate touches. He, personally, was on the fence about such relations, but he also understood that it was not his place to try and determine what they should do with themselves and their lives. His focus, however, was brought elsewhere when Gaster spoke up and the two chatted for another minute before the professor's students began to filter into the lab.

• • •

Gaster received a number of expressions from the students throughout the morning. Most started with a look surprise before the real range of expressions became apparent. After the initial startle upon seeing him many would simply shy away from him, wary of his presence. It certainly wasn't the first time he saw such reactions, but it still made him feel somewhat guilty even though there was nothing he could do to ease the apprehension of the students. Others would pull faces of distaste and keep a clear distance from him before speaking softly to those around him while still keeping a watchful eye on him. One face amongst them he thought he recognized... And then there were the few who would greet him with friendliness, even enthusiasm. It was those few who brought Gaster relief as he conversed with them. 

• • •

Sara sat inside the school cafe, looking out the window since autumn was beginning to make itself known through the slightly chillier air and the occasional leaf up in the tree that decided now was a good time to change color from green to yellow or orange. Even the sunlight had shifted slightly, the air itself feeling different than it had weeks before. It was funny how the change in seasons did that.

She had brought her own lunch from home and was finishing up before figuring she would check on Gaster, then head to her afternoon class. She hoped he was doing well, enjoying himself. She also hoped that wasn't being pestered or possibly bullied by the less accepting percentage of the student body. The tours around campus for monsters had lessened in the past few days. A portion of students who didn't take to monsters had begun to rally against their being on campus and possibly having the opportunity to be accepted into the school. She had seen various flyers, posters, and quick print offs that had phrases all about humans and keeping things under human control. 

She sighed as she tossed away the trash from her lunch, feeling a sense of disappointment in her own kind and their lack of accepting what was different from them. Despite the patience and compassion monsters showed at such behavior, holding onto the hope that things would get better, Sara felt bad for them. She was brought out of her thoughts, however, when she stepped out and was greeted by Evan.

"Hey, Sara," he said casually as he readjusted the mailbag slung over one shoulder. Sara eyed him warily with a raised brow. After his 'warning' the other day she wasn't sure how to act around him. She was just grateful that, right now, Cassy wasn't clinging to him. Cassy was still in her own class for another few minutes. "Can I talk to you for a 'sec?"

"Sure?" She purposefully left her response a bit like a question, unsure as to how to interpret his behavior. 

He tilted his head, gesturing towards a direction off to the side and Sara followed after him as he led the way. They rounded a corner to a side of the building that had less movement of people than the other directions, as people tended to pass by the front more often. Evan then suddenly did a heel turn and stepped forward with a look on his face that made Sara step back. Surprise mingled with the lingering feeling of wariness as she felt her shoulder touch against the rough texture of brick that the building was constructed from. 

His dark eyes were glaring at her and it made the girl almost want to slide down the wall and actually shrink from his gaze. There was such a feeling of intimidation from him that Sara wondered, for the briefest of moments, if this is how Cassy had felt when she first saw Gaster. Gaster, however, meant no harm; Evan, she wasn't so sure. 

"I thought I told you to keep your friendships with monsters to a minimum," he said, his voice soft but his tone clearly displeased. It was like he was a father figure chastising a rebellious teen. 

"Not really your business," Sara retorted. 

"And why'd you bring your wraith freak with you, huh?" he asked as he took another step closer and leaned forward, tilting his head a little to look down on her. Whether he purposefully ignored her statement or not, Sara didn't know.

"I thought he'd like seeing the science building."

"Oh, he did. I saw," he practically spat with disgust. Oh yeah, Evan was a science major.

Sara was feeling more and more uncomfortable the longer Evan glared down at her. She didn't like looking up at his dark eyes and seeing his tensely furrowed brow. "Why is this suddenly an issue?"

"Because you suddenly decided to bring him along. Campus is already tearing itself apart over these things, you don't need to go and make things worse by bringing your freaky friend with you."

"He's not causing any trouble."

"For now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sara asked.

His expression eased considerably, but didn't disappear entirely as he sighed. "Look, Sara, I'm just trying to help keep you out of trouble. You're only going to make things worse for yourself if you keep hanging out with those things. Not everyone takes to them as kindly as you do."

His words made it sound like he really was concerned for her, but somewhere within her she wasn't so sure. Even worse, she wasn't sure why he was being this way with her of all people. Was it because she was Cassy's friend? A way to stay on his girlfriend's good side? 

"More people should," Sara said with more bravery in her voice than she anticipated. "They deserve all the kindness we can spare, in return for the kindness they've shown us ever since they appeared."

Evan clicked his tongue in annoyance and extended his arm to press his hand into the wall beside Sara's head. She flinched at the action, chewing on her lip. "It's not about kindness, Sara." There was an edge to his voice that she didn't like, but she kept her eyes on him, trying to look defiant. "This is about seeing things go back to the way they were: humans above ground, monsters below. Simple. Why else do you think they were stuck underground for so long, huh? They don't belong up here."

Sara bit down harder on her lip to keep herself from spitting out the first thought that went through her head. At this point she was really getting agitated by Evan. She just wanted to have a peaceful day of classes, find Gaster, go home, then enjoy the rest of her evening with him.

"Look, I have to get to class. I'm going to be late," she said, suddenly ducking under his arm and slipping away from him. Without looking back she jogged off towards her last class of the day. She had to hide the lower half of her face under her hand so that no one would see the pained frown on her lips as his words lingered in her head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading the story thus far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like an reblog. Or, feel free to leave me a message!
> 
> 'till next time~


	16. His Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a shout-out to everyone who's been reading and commenting, and leaving kudos. Your feedback with the recent chapters just left me practically giddy! I really do appreciate that there are people out there who like what I come up with. Y'all are awesome!

Sara's brows furrowed deeper and deeper as her eyes stared intently at the empty space in front of her chest. She kept chewing on her lip as she tried to focus, trying to will herself to feel that tension from the center of her being, that pulling sensation like a rubber band she had felt when Gaster exposed her soul for the first time. This wasn't the first time she sat in the privacy of her room as she attempted to make her soul manifest itself. Ever since Lulu mentioned how humans still had magic in them, and how hers was beginning to become more apparent, she had tried over and over again to figure out a way to make her soul visible, to make her magic something she could control a little better. 

It was all for his sake.

With a wince Sara had to stop, heaving a heavy exhale as she flopped to her back on her bed. Was she trying too hard? She recalled how it went when Gaster drew it out. There was little to no effort on his part and yet she was struggling for days; not even getting a single pulse of green light at best for all her efforts. She huffed in irritation then gained a downcast expression as she stared up at the ceiling. What was she missing? The sooner she could figure it out, the sooner she could help Gaster. 

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard knocking on her door, even though it was open. She sat up and caught sight of Gaster using one of his phalanges to tap against the wood. She tilted her head slightly to the side in curiosity when she saw that his own expression was a curious combination that she hadn't seen before. He certainly looked thoughtful, but there were traces of other emotions as well; from what she could gather he also looked hesitant, maybe a little pained? 

"What is it, G?" she asked, her voice soft. 

"Could you...come out to the balcony with me? There's something I wish to speak with you about, something I feel you have long since deserved to hear."

Sara couldn't help but look concerned, but she exited the room with him nonetheless, sliding her hand into his as they went out to the balcony. The wind was a smooth sliding sensation against her skin and through the air, carrying with it the increasing cool breath of autumn. Out in the distance some trees were already beginning to change color, adding one last burst of vibrant life before it would disappear into winter. Sara would have thought the moment romantic if not for the way the monster held himself before her as he closed the sliding doors. She had an inkling as to what he wanted to talk to her about, but she kept her silence and waited for him to finally speak again.

The solidity of his form eased until it was the amorphous mass as he sat down in front of her though his hands never let go of her own, the smooth bone gliding along her fingers. "I gave you my word that, one day, I would tell you my story. I meant to tell you so many times before, but...I could not bring myself to linger on the pain and fear related to those memories."

Pain? Fear? Sara's expression quickly shifted to that of worry and compassion. She gave a reassuring squeeze to his hands and opened her mouth to speak, but Gaster spoke first, continuing, as he returned the action to her own hands.

"I know it will be much for you to take in, but I ask your patience until the end." His glowing pupil looked up to her and she gave a quiet nod, still looking at him worriedly. He brought his focus back down again as he breathed a sigh.

"I was once the Royal Scientist to King Asgore. With his, and the underground's support, my team and I were able to create the Core---a machine that turned the geothermal energy of the caverns into magic-based sources to help monsters survive and live comfortably. It was my greatest achievement for our kind."

Sara already knew this. When she first asked about him this was one of the first things he mentioned. He had such pride in his voice the first time he told her about it, and it had only grown a bit more when Sara showed wonder and amazement at his explanation of the Core. Now, the way he talked about it, his voice made it sound like it was something so far away, something he could no longer reach. He sounded almost mournful. 

"But, then the accident happened. I cannot seem to remember how exactly it started, but I remember falling. I remember the shock as I realized what was happening and wondering if I was going to die. I remember the cries of my fellow scientists as I felt myself...tumble into the Core." 

Although he still couldn't bring himself to look at Sara she heard her quietly gasp, imagining the scene. He continued, his hands gripping a little tighter to her own. The feeling of her skin against his bones was like an anchor for him, helping him continue.

"I remember the heat against my back, getting hotter and hotter. I remember...something had happened before I started to fall, because I felt my soul crack. Such a wound to a monster's soul would usually turn them to dust immediately after, as the soul would then shatter. But, being in such close proximity to the Core must have delayed the action. The Core was likely trying to assimilate me into its process. But, instead, I felt myself...melt." He shook his head. "I cannot think of any better way to describe the sensation without sounding gruesome. 

"My form began to feel heavy, unbearably so, then it suddenly lifted and I felt nothing at all, but not before an indescribable pain shot through me. I was blinded by it. I don't know how long I suffered before it all suddenly stopped and I was, I thought, somewhere. I was partially correct. I was somewhere, yet nowhere, yet everywhere. All that was before me was an endless gray.

"And then I saw myself. I saw what had become of me. This...blackness; this...void of being." Gaster turned his head to the side, avoiding looking himself with his socket shut tight as if he were suddenly ashamed. It took him a few moments of silence for him to collect himself and continue, though he continued to refuse to open his eye. "I felt _nothing_. I panicked; it terrified me. Worse still, I felt nothing around me. I was utterly alone."

There was another pause as he looked up into Sara's eyes. He looked so pained she couldn't help but feel the ache in her chest once again, wishing even harder now that she could figure out the effect of her soul, the effect of her magic to help him. She felt her bottom lip quivering as emotions steadily bubbled up in her so she bit at it. 

He brought his focus back down to their hands, still holding to each other's own. "I don't know how long I was there in that emptiness, that void. It felt like an instant, it felt like an eon. I had no sense of time or place while I lingered there. Though, at times I would get...glimpses...of the world outside of that void, watching monsters go about their lives. It was fuzzy, unclear, like trying to see through static. But I began to notice something odd. I saw how any mention of me was simply _lost_. Scientists working with and maintaining the Core could no longer remember me." 

The expression of sadness on his face was the most intense Sara had ever seen. "I had been forgotten," he choked. Suddenly Sara understood why he had looked so sad after that first night of staying with her, why he looked the way he did when she had said she had forgotten that he was there. 

"Many times I was overwhelmed by despair as I yearned so desperately for a way back, but there was nothing I could do. Eventually, I gave up. I came to accept my fate."

Sara's hands slipped out of his grasp and reached out to gently hold his face. Although he still looked so sad, there was also a hint of surprise when the dull gray-purple pinprick of light in his eye saw that her own eyes were glossy as tears welled in them. Sara wished so badly that her soul would just burst from within her and bathe them both in its green glow. It wasn't fair. To be forgotten...to be all alone...

"But, eventually, after I don't know how long, a child appeared before me." The sad look on his face slowly began to ease. He looked like a weighted burden was finally being lifted. There was hope, relief, in his voice. "Frisk, the very child who freed monster kind from the underground, had found a way to me. His vibrant red soul, filled with determination, managed to pierce through the nothingness I was in and find me. I was so shocked that I never even gave a proper 'thank you' to the boy as I lunged for the opening he had made."

The girl's brows rose in surprise. Frisk? _The_ Frisk? Sara was beginning to believe that Frisk was more a savior than a celebrity to monsters. Even if many had never personally met the child, any monster would still be familiar with the name.

"People began to remember me as usual once I was out of that void. It was as if I had never gone, but I noticed how time had passed--so much was different. And even though I was free I still wasn't whole. I remained...like this." He glanced down at himself, and Sara did too, before he looked at her again as he took her hands in his again, drawing her touch away from his face. 

"But I would not let it deter me--I was free. Monsters were all free shortly thereafter when the barrier was destroyed. I followed Frisk and remained at his side for a time. Alongside the king and queen I was a voice of experience for the child, a voice of reason." Ah, so that explained how, despite his youth, Frisk had been so capable of reasoning with leaders and authorities about monsters and allowing them back into society. "My presence, however, became less and less necessary as he continued to be raised by the king and queen. Also, my own curiosities of the surface world demanded my attention."

His expression had finally softened and Sara saw his familiar affectionate smile, while his form had solidified once again to the appearance of a coat and pants. He brushed his thumbs lightly back and forth across her fingers. "And that is how I met you." He then looked more serious. "So that is my story. Now you know why I am this way, how I got this way. I have not been able to speak of this to anyone until now. It is...a relief now that is done."

"Thank you, Gaster, for telling me," Sara said.

"And as I have said before, you deserved to hear this for some time. I simply could not bring myself to tell it until now."

"I did say I would wait."

"So you did," he murmured. 

Her heart went out to him. Her soul ached for him. She felt that he deserved all the happiness the world could offer after having suffered incomparable pain and loneliness. A single tear escaped her eye and slide slowly down her cheek as she learned forward towards him. With his eye watching her somewhat curiously Sara pressed her lips to his cheek, and let her kiss linger there for an extra moment before pulling away. The ache in her soul eased as it changed into an increasing desire to see him happy, content, and loved. 

Gaster's cheeks glowed that familiar dull shade of gray-purple again as the tips of his finger bones touched where she had kissed him. "You're too good to me," he said, his voice still soft. "Nevertheless, I am thankful for the opportunity to have met you, the privilege to care for you as you have for me." He reached out to her and brushed his fingers lightly down the side of her face, wiping away the stray tear. He touched her skin with the same degree of care as when he had cradled her soul in his hands.

She leaned slightly into his touch, letting the tingle of his magic spread across her cheek and down her neck. That feeling combined with the want for Gaster's happiness blended together seamlessly within her and swelled. It felt like something began to pulse slowly, steadily, like a slow heartbeat or the gentle rolling of waves. With it came a flicker of green light from the center of her chest leaving sparks that lingered in the air for a second before fading away. Both took notice.

She couldn't help but smile at the feeling and the brief display of light from herself. Lulu's words began to repeat themselves over and over in her head like a broken record, making the feeling intensify and thus causing the light from her soul to pulse once more. As the words rang in her head an idea began to form from it, bringing with it a hope that Sara clung to. With another pulse of colored light Sara reached up and gently held his hand lingering at her cheek.

"Gaster," she started, her voice equally as soft as his, "Like you, there's something I've been wanting to do for you for some time now." She looked up at him hopefully, yet with a hint of nervousness. He couldn't take his gaze away from her even if he wanted to. 

"I have an idea..." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, all, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to send me a message!
> 
> 'till next time~


	17. Glass Marble Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Entry Number Seventeen...  
> Short, but sweet chapter. Enjoy~

Gaster gazed down at Sara in curiosity, wonder, and hope. The hope he felt radiated so strongly from the girl that he couldn't help but be affected by it too, even though he wasn't sure what it was that had made her feel so hopeful to begin with.

Throughout the telling of his story Sara had felt her soul go out to him. She had felt the ache in the center of her chest over and over again, until it eventually felt like something was pushing at her chest from within and trying to get out. She truly had been paying attention when he spoke, but kept hearing Lulu's words in her head, repeating like a broken record. That combined with her own yearning to see him as happy as he made her eventually brought an idea to her head along with a reassuring sense of peace. 

Sara had brought them inside, since it was starting to get dark out, and stood close to the monster. Her soul had not yet fully emerged, but the glow from her chest was still strong enough to illuminate the space between them. 

"Sara, what--"

"Bring it out," she said calmly.

Gaster brought his hand up and made the beckoning gesture with a single finger, once again effortlessly pulling the little heart from within her. Sara let out a shaky sigh as she felt the stretching sensation like a rubber band again and looked down at her brightly glowing soul. She didn't remember seeing be so vibrant the first time. The hand Gaster used to bring her soul out curved carefully around it as he gazed intently at it. He likely could feel the emotions she felt towards him because his own face began to glow again and he drew his hand away to try and cover his uniquely colored blush. 

"Now yours."

"S-Sara, what is it you're--"

"Please," she said, cupping her hands below her soul. "I don't think I'll be able to explain how. I just...I just _feel_ it."

Gaster swallowed, then drew out his dimly lit, cracked soul before her own. Looking at it with her own right there it made his look all the more pathetic. She brought her hands further forward to cup them below his soul, feeling the tingle of magic seep past her skin and travel up her nerves. She also felt, faintly, his own emotions in that moment: hesitation, nervousness, shame...But she also felt gratitude, happiness, affection...

He deserved happiness; he deserved affection; he deserved all of her own that she could possibly give. She made herself flush with embarrassment, but thankfully the green glow of her soul hid the color that rose in her cheeks as she cupped her hands below it again. 

"I hope this works...I want this to work..."

He looked at her curiously. "Wha--"

His question was interrupted by him gasping as an inexplicable sensation suddenly washed over him. He instinctively clutched at his chest and saw that his soul was beginning to be surrounded by the green glow of Sara's own. And at the furthest edge of his soul, appearing right over a crack, was a sprout of that same green. With it came the sudden recollection of their first meeting and the concern Sara felt for him after chasing off the rambunctious and disrespectful youths. His breathing became unsteady as emotions and memories continued to appear at the forefront of his mind: seeing him again in the rain and her concern for him, her selflessness in making sure he was comfortable and content, her curiosity in how he moved... With each memory and related emotion that little sprout of green in his soul continued to grow.

It smoothed the jagged edges, twisting and swirling as it followed the path of the largest crack. The further along it went the more subtle aches Gaster felt within himself, every slight twitch from him resulting in sounds of popping joints. As the green essence reached branching fractures it sprouted from there too and followed the lines. His form faltered and Gaster collapsed to the floor, a surprising 'clack' heard through the blackness. Through his panting he couldn't help but look at himself in disbelief. He _felt_ that. He could feel, faintly, the hard and smooth texture of the wood flooring. 

He looked up at Sara. Her cheeks were completely flushed but her eyes remained trained on him, soft and kind, while her brows were furrowed as she concentrated. He could see her trembling as she focused on him, yet her soul continued to glow as steadily as ever, leaving colored pulses like heartbeats around his own. The green lines continued to follow the cracks and he continued to feel the emotions she had for him, growing stronger every second: her happiness around his presence, her curiosity at the sensation of his touch, her embarrassment at his displays of affection, her compassion at knowing his past and wanting so badly to help, and her desire to see him happy, her own affections for him as they were developing into...

Gaster gasped again, his whole body popping and cracking as the blackness was solidifying, tightening as it formed outlines then finer details. The black of his form began to slide off him as if it were nothing but oil coming off a watery surface, revealing the colors and form of what truly lay beneath. The colors revealed the rest of his turtleneck which was tucked into light gray dress slacks, held up by a thin belt, and all of it topped with a white coat. 

Sara released a long exhale in the same moment that the green lines finished their course, smoothing the cracks in the monster's soul and leaving him feeling...whole. Gaster looked down at himself again feeling disbelief and wonder course through his bones. He had a complete body again! His phalanges tapped at his skull. Both sockets were open, and although he could not see it right then, the lights within were no longer dull and grayed but shone a clear shade of purple. 

Sara breathed deeply like she was recovering from running. Her soul gave a bright pulse upon seeing Gaster look at himself, seeing himself restored. She then looked to his soul and gave a tired, but pleased, smile at the result. Any sign of cracks or fractures were gone, lost amidst the green streaks that swelled and thinned as they had followed their designed path. His soul glowed strongly now of white with flickers of her own green color. The way it looked now reminded her of an old toy from when she was much younger. It looked like...

...a glass marble. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my story, so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	18. Recovery Period

Trembling, shaking, Gaster somehow managed to pull himself up to his feet. He still couldn't believe it. His body, his physical form had been restored to him and he finally felt like he was alive again. He felt the magic of his soul course through the smallest details of his bones almost overwhelming him with sensations he had not felt in so long. He had to grip the back of the couch to keep himself from crumbling to the floor again.

He glanced again at the appearance of his soul. It glowed brightly, radiating white light along with softer flickers of green. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, and he thought it nearly as beautiful as Sara's own soul. While still shaking, his bones practically rattling against themselves, he drew his soul back in before urging Sara's own back into where it belonged. He reached out to her, but he quickly felt whatever energy he had drain from him, leaving him exhausted.

"Sara, you...I..."

He collapsed to his knees, back to the floor, despite himself. From within his soul he felt Sara's kindness and affection ebb and flow, mingling with his magic like a caress. Gaster tried to speak but his voice got choked up; developing along the lowest rim of his sockets purple tinted tears appeared and slid down his face, dripping onto his slacks and leaving similarly colored streaks for a moment before fading. 

Sara knelt down in front of him, reaching her hands out to hold his face between them and brush the freely flowing tears away as they continued to fall. There was clear concern on her face upon seeing him break down like this but there was also a hint of a smile on her face as she hoped that the tears were due to happiness and not pain, or some other related emotion. 

"It worked...it worked..." she chanted over and over again, sounding relieved. Sara pressed another kiss to his cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck and embracing him. Through his increasing fatigue Gaster managed to return the gesture, his hands pressing into her back while his forehead rested on her shoulder. 

This was definitely something Sara would have to get used to again. Rather than the odd, almost squishy sensation she felt whenever she previously hugged the monster she now felt hard and distinct bones through his clothes. She could just make out the feeling of his spine, his ribcage, and his shoulderblades. She made another mental note to go over her anatomy again... He felt so much more solid than she expected and he felt warmer than before. It was a slight increase than the previous lukewarm temperature, but it was an increase nonetheless. And, she felt his magic more strongly than before as she remained close to him, almost like a hum. 

"...tired..." he whispered. 

"Eh? Gaster?" Sara gasped in surprise as she felt him suddenly go slack in her arms and nearly slip out of her grasp. She had to grip at his coat to keep him from clattering against the floor. She panicked for a moment before taking another moment to observe him. His eyes were closed and he looked peaceful, moreso than Sara had seen before, and she noticed him breathing deeply and rhythmically (even though, considering his form, he may not have needed to). 

Breathing her own sigh of relief Sara readjusted herself, slipping her arms under his own, embracing him around his chest and carefully pulling herself back to feet while hoisting Gaster up as well. He was heavier than she expected him to be, but not as heavy as she feared either. She guessed that he weighed about as much as herself, give or take a few pounds. She managed to lay him down on the couch, his lengthy figure taking up all the space available and then some; even with his head propped on the armrest of the couch his feet still managed to dangle over the edge of the opposite side. 

Finally making use of the pillow and blanket she had set out for him since the first night he stayed with her Sara made sure he was comfortable. As she was about to drape the blanket over him she took a moment longer to look down at him. The white coat was an honest-to-goodness scientist's lab cat and there was a curious symbol stitched on the left side---three triangles, a circle and what looked to be wings on either side. She wondered if that symbol signified his previous place as Royal Scientist. But she put that thought aside, saving it for later, as she covered him with the blanket. 

"Sleep well, Gaster," she said softly as she used the sleeve of her shirt to wipe away residual tears that lingered on his face. She felt the urge to place another kiss somewhere on him, cheek or forehead perhaps, but her embarrassment got the better of her instead. So, she just gave a shy smile and left him be. "You deserve it."

• • •

Gaster wasn't 'tired' as he had whispered before passing out, he was downright _exhausted_. The lanky skeleton remained completely passed out on Sara's couch for two whole days, not having moved or even twitched while he slept. It wasn't until the third day that he finally woke up, stretching and making his joints pop. 

Thankfully Sara was there to greet him when he was finally roused from his slumber. She was in the middle of cleaning the dishes left over from the other day when she saw him finally move and sit up. When he glanced down at himself Sara guessed he still couldn't quite believe that he was back to normal. 

"Hey," she said gently as she dried her hands. "Sleep well?"

"I did, thank you," he replied as he slipped out from under the blanket and watched himself stand. As he looked at himself he clearly held wonder in his expression, as well as a look as if he were seeing a dear friend again after an extended absence. He slipped the lab coat from off himself and examined it quietly, the tips of his phalanges brushing against the symbol stitched on it. 

Suddenly he brought his head down as color illuminated his cheekbones. Like the now soft shade of purple that shone in his eyes, his face was glowing that same color. He gently gripped at his turtleneck where a human stomach would be. 

"I...I'm hungry...Would it be alright if I ask you to make something?"

Sara couldn't help but let out a giggle even though she looked sorry for reacting that way. She gestured for him to come and he did so, draping his coat over the armrest of the couch. "I don't mind at all," she replied. "I was actually wanting to make something fun and easy tonight. You remember how I made chicken nuggets, right?"

He certainly did. Many times he had quietly observed her as she would make meals for herself. It was always interesting to see what humans could make with what was available to them, since the underground had significantly less in comparison. With the amount of time he had already spent with the young woman there were a few recipes he had become more familiar with than others, but he continued to learn all others that she knew. 

However, as she went about preparing Gaster would ask for something to curb his hunger long enough to wait for the actual meal to be ready, and he looked embarrassed for asking in the first place. Sara, understanding as she was, would get him something then return to her previous task. But not long after finishing that he would state how he was still quite hungry and request something else. 

Gaster wasn't just hungry, he was _ravenous_. He managed to clear out Sara's pantry and fridge of almost everything he could possibly eat to satisfy his hunger. The dinner they prepared together was eaten mostly by him, and even then it wasn't enough. She then had to order pizza, two larges with her favorite toppings, and he ate those too! (Sara did manage to grab a slice from each, though). 

Looking at the aftermath of it all Sara sighed as she rested her hands on her hips. "Well, looks like I'm making another run to the store sooner than I thought," she muttered. 

"I apologize, Sara. I didn't expect this of myself," Gaster said, rubbing the back of his neck, his cheekbones glowing vibrantly. 

"It's okay. It reminds me of when my brother would hit his growth spurts. Dude could put away anything he shoved in his mouth, sleep it off, then wake up an inch or two taller." Sara giggled at the memory of her elder brother, Jake, when he went through a similar situation as he was growing up. "It wasn't fair."

And then a thought hit her. "Oh...speaking of which...I might need to call him," she said, suddenly looking concerned as she rested her cheek into her hand.

"What is it?" Gaster asked.

"We're going to need to go shopping. And I guess it's time to reorganize the apartment."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading thus far!   
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	19. Strike Three

It had been an interesting experience going out shopping for Gaster. She certainly wasn't that used to wandering over to the men's section of clothing stores to find something, unless she had been shopping for some present for her brother or father. And she certainly had never been far enough along in a relationship with someone to really get articles of clothing as a means of gift where it really meant something outside of a birthday. 

Thankfully her brother had been available to call and get feedback from. Some days he worked at home helping take care of his three year-old daughter alongside his wife, while other days he was at his actual office inside the city. He was familiar with images of Gaster since Sara had snapped and sent pictures to him from time to time but he was still surprised when he answered his sister's call and saw the monster practically towering over her. 

So, then, from time to time Sara would snap pictures of Gaster trying on articles of clothing and get feedback from Jake. Overall he wasn't much help as most of his replies consisted of 'looks fine.' Typical of him. From then on Sara was just looking up images of men's fashion and guessing what styles would suit the scientist best. After a few runs of trial and error, however, both she and Gaster came to the agreement that he looked best in tailored, or semi-formal styles.

And then when it came time to pay...

Gaster had insisted that he repay her willingness to aid him, even when she tried to argue back that she was doing this because she wanted to. However, once the total was rung up for everything Sara practically paled. Suddenly feeling sorry for trying to refuse him she had looked at him pleadingly. He gave her an understanding smile and pulled out a single gold coin. 

That single gold coin was the same gold coins that monsters had on them when they had emerged from the mountain, bearing that same combination of symbols Sara saw on Gaster's lab coat on one side, while the other side was circled by strange symbols that she assumed meant something but didn't understand. Because the coins were pure and solid gold many monsters managed to suddenly become very rich as the exchange for even a single piece, like what Gaster had in his hand, was worth well over one thousand dollars! The girl couldn't help but wonder about just how many other coins he had to his name. 

Even the woman at the register looked as surprised as Sara as she carefully took the coin, examining it closely and then gave back his change (which was a lot), looking dazed. She likely didn't get a chance to see monster currency very often. Even Sara was a little dazed herself when she came to a sudden realization: Gaster was a gentleman; he was a scientist, smart; he likely had a lot of money to his name, thus making him quite wealthy. Never mind that he was a monster, he was a typical woman's dream! 

Her face burned as that thought lead to another: of all the people in the world, he chose her.

• • •

She continued to bring Gaster with her to campus as a visitor, since the grounds were still open to them be they human or monster. Sara noticed how each time she did so it took her longer and longer to get him out of a conversation with the professors and finally go home, though she had to admit she was happy to see him converse freely about his preferred subject. There were even some science professors who commented to her about his quick understanding of human science as well as his fascinating explanations about the monster variation of science, and how magic was a near constant variable in it. 

There was still so much about magic that Sara had yet to understand, including her own. Ever since her restoring Gaster's soul she had not been able to replicate the sensation she felt within herself and thus repeat the effects, at least to that degree. It had simply been a deep feeling within herself that she couldn't put into words that extended out towards Gaster and his own well-being. Part of her guessed it was the effect of her soul of kindness seeking to show compassion onto someone needing it, while another part of her wondered if it was possibly because of how she personally felt towards him. The latter always left her blushing, but always with a smile.

However, more often she found herself being able to create faint but lingering sparks of green colored light that sprouted from the center of her chest, leaving streaks behind them like a comet passing through space. Those emerged from within her whenever she inadvertently hurt herself somehow, usually from a paper cut or accidentally scalding her hand under water that ran too hot from the faucet. Whenever that happened the little orbs sought out the hurt and seeped into her skin, soothing the pain and healing the injury until it was like it never happened. She had yet to understand how to willfully control it. 

Gaster's magic was just as curious. Ever since the restoration of his soul Sara found him using it quite often, practicing again like a master bringing back his trade after having to put away that particular skill for some time. The skeleton's magic was the same clear wisteria purple color that glowed in his eyes and with it he created pairs of hands identical to his own, each capable of acting separately or as intended pairs. Sara found that he tended to do this while studying something. Holding his own hands he would look thoughtful while another pair flipped through pages of whatever book he was currently reading, while yet another hastily wrote down notes and thoughts that passed through his head. 

_"How come you never used your magic before, Gaster?" Sara had asked after seeing him summon his helping hands once more._

_"A monster's magic is tied to their soul," he had replied, turning his head to look at her. "You saw how my soul was...unstable before. Any use of my magic would also be unstable, thus unsafe. I know because I tried once. But now, thanks to you, I can use it again."_

So, Sara had left her monster companion to visit the science building of the campus. After her classes were over she made her way down the stairs, and as she peeked past a halfway open door she caught sight of Gaster going over a diagram with one of the other chemistry professors along with a few lingering students. It seemed to be a full discussion between them all, throwing out words and terms that went right over the girl's head. The monster caught sight of the girl and raised his hand towards her in a 'please wait' gesture. She knew that if he didn't get all his thoughts out there he would spew them off to her, and she would then struggle to keep up. So, she nodded and slipped out of the building, sending him a text to let him know that she'd be waiting once he was done. 

While they had gone shopping for him one of things Sara urged was for him to have a phone since he could now hold onto one somewhere other than his own hands. It was a simple pay-as-you-go plan, which was fine since he wasn't using the phone for much save for calling and texting her, or one of the professors. 

It was while she was waiting, leaning against the passenger's side door of her car and passing the time with one of the two game apps on her phone, that she was startled out of her reverie. A hand slammed onto the doorframe and she nearly dropped her phone but thankfully managed to get enough of a grip on it again without it sliding out of her fingers entirely.

"Are you stupid?" asked a familiar voice harshly. Sara's expression hardened as she looked up at Evan's face.

"What now?" she spat back.

"You keep bringing him here."

She didn't like the young man's tone as he referenced to Gaster. It made her grimace. "He enjoys himself, and if he's happy I'm happy."

Evan's brows shot up in surprise. "If he's happy you're--Oh c'mon! Don't tell me you're falling in love with that thing."

It was Sara's turn to have her brows shoot up, along with the heat in her cheeks. She knew that she liked him and that the feeling was mutual, but was she really... Sara shrank a little, looking down at her phone. "Not your business," she mumbled. 

"Any business a human has with a monster is my business," he replied, leaning over her a little more. "You insist on being friendly with things that have no place amongst us. They're better off where they were, and we're better off forgetting them until they're just stories we tell kids to scare them into obedience."

"Stop it," Sara said, although with not nearly enough energy behind her words for them to really make an impact. "Why don't you bother Cassy about this?"

"Because she listens. You on the other hand...This is the last time I warn you, Sara: stick with your own kind. You're safer that way because, if not, you'll get hurt along with your freaky 'friends'. And then it'll be your own fault because you wouldn't listen."

"Are you threatening me?" she asked, both anger and horror mixing in her voice. 

"No. Like I said, I'm warning you." He pushed away from the car, standing straight again. There was look in his eye that made Sara shudder. It was a dangerous look and she didn't like it. "This was your last one. We tried, we really did. But you refused."

"Wait, 'we'? Who are you talking about? Evan!" She tried to get him to look at her and answer her question, but he was already walking off. And just in time too since Gaster was approaching and watching the young man stride away with a look of concern mixed with curiosity. 

"He left you feeling uncomfortable," he stated. It must have been obvious from the expression lingering on her face. 

"And confused," she added. "I'm not sure why he's been acting this way lately. I'll talk to Cassy about it and figure it out. Don't worry."

"Very well." He reached out to stroke some of her fair hair behind her ear, and Sara sighed at his touch already feeling a little better.

• • •

True to her word she called up her friend with the intent to clear things up about Evan's recent behavior. Cassy, however, wasn't as helpful as Sara had originally hoped. 

"I don't see what the problem is, he hasn't acted that way at all to me," Cassy said through the receiver of Sara's cell phone. 

"Cassy, I just want to know if he's been acting different in any way around anybody else. It can't be just me."

Sara could practically hear her friend shrug through her tone of voice. "I dunno. I will admit, he's been kinda busy lately so I'm not seeing him as often as usual." Often was an understatement. Cassy came up with reasons or excuses to spend more time with him. It was like they were joined at the hip at this point. "Kinda miss having our little hangouts and doing homework together." 

"Well, just...just keep an eye out okay? I don't like the way he's been acting around me."

"Calm down, Sara. He's probably just teasing you. That's just how he is."

Recent memories told her otherwise and the girl tensed where she stood. She didn't like to admit it, but she was losing her patience with the way Cassy was handling things between them. She could understand that she would be in favor of her significant other, but at this point it was if he was taking his side with just about everything. 

"Just keep an eye out," she repeated. "I'll talk you later." Feeling more troubled than before Sara ended the call. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	20. Shatter

Because Cassy wasn't going to take it seriously Sara decided to vent to the next best person, Matt, the next time she had work at the bakery. Rather than be almost dismissive about it, like Cassy was acting, Matt maintained a concerned, elder brother air about him which made Sara feel like her own concerns were worth listening to. He kept glancing to the side to look at her as he rolled prepared dough before placing them on the baking trays while Sara perhaps got a little too forceful with her kneading the cinnabunny dough.

"It's just frustrating!" Sara exclaimed, though not too loudly so as not to stress poor Whinnie. The little Whimsun never did handle raised voices and excessive noise for very long. "Cassy keeps playing off whatever he does as him teasing, or joking, or just part of his 'easy going' personality. He practically threatened me! He..." Sara movements slowed as worry came over her face. "I think he threatened my friends." 

Sara bit at her lip as her brows furrowed. An ache developed in the center of her chest at the thought of any her friends coming to harm. Along with that ache was a curious trembling sensation from within that made the girl grip at her apron. A sense of fear mingled with the worry she felt as she wondered who would dare attack these sweet, gentle figures in her life and how would they dare go about it. She had to shake her head as if to make the thoughts themselves rattle out of her brain and went back to kneading. 

"This guy sounds like he'll be trouble," Matt said. "It might be best to pull away from him and everyone related to him for a little bit."

Sara sighed. Doing that meant pulling away from Cassy too. She felt a bit guilty in thinking of putting space between herself and her best friend, but as she thought about it Cassy had been the one to begin pulling away as soon as she started a relationship with Evan. In fact, ever since he showed up there had been more friction between the two girls than there ever had been. 

"Maybe you're right," she replied. "I'm just not sure what to do. I don't want to lose my friendship with Cassy just because her boyfriend is being weird."

"If she chooses to keep hanging onto him, that's her choice. And if you don't like how it is between the three of you, then you have the choice as to whether or not to maintain that friendship. I know, Sara. I've had to let go of certain friendships before because it just wasn't working anymore. Don't be afraid to give yourself something better if what you're currently in is going bad."

Sara sighed again, mulling over his words. Her thoughts were broken, however, when she heard a curious cracking sound towards the front of the store along with a yelp from Lulu. Matt, Whinnie, and Sara all looked at each other for a moment before rushing towards the front.

Lulu looked startled, her trembling ears steadily pulling back behind her as she stared at the cracked glass window looking into her bakery. The entirety of the window was marred with uneven lines, muddling up the view to the outside. Sara could make out, however, a car loitering in front of the store and figures standing by it. Due to the glass and the dying light of the autumn evening she couldn't tell what the figures looked like. 

She could, however, see movement of something moving through the air towards the already damaged glass. It smashed through the window fully shattering the glass into countless bits and shards that rained backwards towards the four of them. 

The object which caused the break, however, continued in its trajectory and the girl's adrenaline suddenly pumped through her system when she saw it was heading straight into the rabbit.

"Lu!" Sara cried as she dashed forward, pushing Lulu out of the way. 

Pain seared through her head as whatever it was hit into the side of it. She stumbled to the side from the force but had little sense of balance from the strike and toppled to the shard covered floor. Her ears were ringing and any movement she made was sluggish and uncoordinated. Sara thought she could hear people calling out, but the voices were muffled. 

A moment later there came another cry, another sound of something breaking, and then something crackling. There was a sudden heat coming from somewhere to the side. Then there was the roar of an engine, the screaming of wheels on pavement, and even more voices filled with panic. 

"Sa....Can you....she....'right?" 

"Oh dea...."

"Get he....Carry....out"

Her legs felt like they had no bone or muscle to them as she felt herself get lifted to her feet. A hand gripped her wrist while a strong arm slid behind her, holding her at her waist. Her ears were still ringing and her vision was fuzzy but it was becoming clearer with each moment.

She felt a little bit of her strength return as she was half dragged away from the heat growing hotter now behind her, somehow managing to help as she half hobbled along. The hands gripping her waist and wrist tightened as she felt herself get turned around.

She blinked rapidly in hopes it would help clear her vision faster. Though some of the details were still a little lost with her vision still coming back she could make out a slightly scruffy, rust colored beard.

"Matt...?"

"Sara? Sara! Jeez, you gave us a scare!" There was clear relief in his voice, but it was also a little shaky. It was then that Sara realized that his grip on her was also trembling. 

"What happened?" 

"Somebody attacked the shop. It's..."

Sara looked ahead, gazing at the shop from a number of meters away now. She suddenly wished her vision was still blurry. Her heart dropped and her eyes widened in horror as she saw the ruined front window of the bakery with bits of glass scattered everywhere, and the red-orange glow of fire lick angrily, greedily at everything inside. Already she could smell things burning as smoke built up within and eventually seeped out of the broken window, rising up into the air and dissipating. 

Matt kept his grip on her until she could manage to keep herself on her feet without wobbling too much to one side or the other. Matt looked pained the entire time. Lulu sat kneeling off to the side, inconsolable as she freely wept with her own look of horror in her eyes and her muzzle hidden behind her paws. Little Whinnie was also an inconsolable mess as she clung to Lulu's fur, her tinkling voice trying and failing to calm the rabbit. One could wonder if the Whimsun's words were more for her friend, or for herself. 

As pained as she was to watch it Sara couldn't help but stare almost numbly at the flames that continued to consume the bakery. People, both human and monster, looked on in shock, creating a large group that questioned and commented between themselves. There was one monster who broke through the crowd and rushed to her side.

"Sara! Sara, are you hurt?" Gaster asked, trying to keep himself composed as best he could. Even so, there was still the faint rattling sound of his bones combined with the worried tone in his voice and expression he held. He had been visiting the bookstore nearby lately and must have heard the commotion. 

She hissed as his finger bones brushed against the spot on her head where she got struck. It stung only a little bit but the rest of the feeling was an uncomfortable throbbing like a bad headache. His worried look intensified. "I got hit in the head. I think I'll be okay, though," she replied. 

Within minutes police, firemen, and paramedics arrived on the scene. George was quick to arrive once informed as to what happened, and he quickly proved to be the comfort Lulu needed, helping to soothe her enough to speak coherently. Whinnie's own mate, a Whimsalot, showed up as well. Matt's friends were there as comfort for him, while Gaster refused to leave Sara's side. As paramedics checked up on her to see the extent of the damage, which thankfully wasn't much, and while she was interviewed by officers Gaster's hands remained grasping at her own. Eventually Sara slipped her fingers through the gaps in his phalanges. He gave her hand a squeeze at the gesture, his touch reassuring, calming. 

That lead to the one interesting thing that happened that day. While Gaster remained close Sara noticed green specks of light floating in the air around her. Everyone else around her, save for the monster himself, must have thought they were some kind of bug because they tried to swat the tiny orbs away but without any effect. No one seemed to notice how the specks of green colored light remained floating around her head, hovering close the spot that had been hit then disappearing into her hair---no one but herself, and Gaster, whose expression eased considerably upon sight of them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading my story, so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave a message.
> 
> 'till next time~


	21. Putting the Pieces Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but sweet.

Sara and everyone else at the bakery were eventually given the okay to go home. They were all more than urged by the ambulance team to do so, especially Lulu who looked heartbroken over what had become of her shop. Sara noticed how the rabbit clung to her fiancé as if afraid he would suddenly be taken away from her too. The skeleton monster at her own side behaved similarly, his hand refusing to let go of hers the entire time. 

And, despite how bad it looked, the fire in the shop had affected mostly the kitchen and the front of the store where the most flammable items could be found. The back of the place had gotten some burns to it, but thankfully everyone's stuff was still salvageable after the firemen got the flames under control. So, the crowd was made to disperse as she blankly got into her car and drove home. The shock was still lingering in her system, making her run mostly on auto-pilot on the way back. 

It wasn't until shortly after they walked through the door into her apartment that the feeling wore off and realization finally smacked her as hard as the object that had smashed through the shop's glass window. The sound of the glass shattering, the fear in Lulu's eyes, the sound of everyone's cries, the fire burning, pain that had made her head throb...

Sara whimpered as her lip trembled. She brought her hands up to cover her mouth but found that her whole frame was trembling too. Tears welled up in her eyes as she started to suck back heaving sobs, covering her face entirely. She felt weak again as her brain continued to properly process what had happened and began to squat down there on the linoleum floor but felt Gaster reach out and keep her on her feet. 

He said nothing, and she didn't even know what expression he held though concern was a likely one. Rather, she felt him slide his arm under her knees while keeping a firm but gentle hold behind her shoulders as he lifted her up into his arms cradling her close to his chest and carried her into her room. Sara gripped at his shirt like a child clings to their parents as sobs continued to wrack her body and tears continued to streak down her cheeks. 

The mattress of Sara's bed creaked under their weight as Gaster settled himself down on it and repositioned her so that she sat in his lap though remained cradled in his arms. And though he remained silent his actions alone were the whispers of comfort that she needed right then. One arm was wrapped around her front and his hand massaged her shoulder or stroked up and down her arm, while his other hand rested on her head or occasionally brushed through her hair. She also felt the smooth curves of his skull touch and rest at the top her head. She felt his breathing into her hair, leaving a tingling sensation at the roots. 

Sara curled into herself a little bit as she continued to cry, letting out everything she just experienced as sobs and seemingly countless tears. All the while she remained clutching at Gaster's shirt feeling the bone of his ribcage beneath her tight grasp of the fabric. She didn't know how long she remained that way, nor did she care, she just was overwhelmed and couldn't manage to hold herself together if she tried. 

Eventually her sobs petered out into hiccups and whimpers, and her tears spent leaving her eyes irritated with the excess moisture. As she wiped her eyes she felt Gaster's touch at the center of her chest. She glanced up at him.

"May I?" he asked. He looked concerned, worried, but Sara could tell within the lights of his eyes that there was an even deeper feeling of affection. With a sniffle and a silent nod of her head he drew her soul out.

It wasn't glowing as brightly as she remembered. There was a small halo of light around it, though, as if it were a sign that she was still holding on. A moment later that light was accompanied by the white light of Gaster's own soul. The two heart-shaped essences hovered closely to each other while floating above his hand. The lights reflected in Sara's eyes as she felt the monster's own emotions radiate from him and seep into her--worry, concern, relief, hope, happiness, gratitude, fear, tenderness. She felt, briefly, the moments related to each emotion as they went from negative to positive. She was alive, she was safe, she was here in his arms. 

The two remained that way for another long while. Neither cared how much time passed because it didn't matter. Their souls were eventually returned to their respective places once Sara no longer trembled nor whimpered leaving her emotionally drained and quite tired. Once fully pacified she felt Gaster shift and his arms began to retreat from their place encircling her. 

"No, wait," she said softly. He immediately halted, looking down at her. Her eyes were pleading as she looked up at him in return. "Please stay."

The glow in his eyes dimmed, softening. He shifted again but this time to make himself comfortable once more as he fully enveloped her in his arms again. She felt a gentle, tingling touch to her forehead and guessed that was his attempt at giving her a kiss there.

"Always." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far.  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	22. Still Tense

Up until that point Gaster had slept on the couch even if it was a slightly awkward fit for him. He never really complained about it, though he'd occasionally wake up with his joints popping and cracking more than usual. But, ever since the bakery was set fire to, the two found comfort in each other's presence as they slept, sharing her bed. 

At first it was rather awkward for both of them since neither were used to another's presence being so close while sleeping. Gaster certainly wouldn't try anything that would make Sara uncomfortable, and Sara felt so bashful about initiating anything. But, eventually, it was she who performed a simple gesture of gently holding onto one of the t-shirts he used as a nightshirt and her forehead just barely touching his sternum. He, in return, found enough courage in him to let his hand rest on her shoulder or let his arm drape over her body. 

Sara also discovered that her magic became more pronounced since that day. 

It took a bit of trial and error but eventually Sara came up with the theory that her magic was dependent on how she felt. The emotions she felt around Gaster tended to confirm this on more than one occasion, which usually left the girl feeling a tad flustered, which in turn would make her magic sputter. Gaster certainly helped in his own way with her trying to understand how her kind of magic worked. His comments and pleased expressions he made whenever he saw her being able to create the little sparks of green colored light would leave her smiling brightly, almost with pride, and keep trying.

He also explained in greater detail his understanding of human and monster souls, and how the magic within monsters functioned. Apparently monster magic was just an extension of themselves--their soul--and thus required little to no real focus on their end. And from his observations on her soul and the magic associated with it, he came up with his own theory that human magic required a degree of understanding themselves as a whole and then projecting that whole outward. It certainly took a lot more effort on Sara's end than his own, but he held hopes that she could become accustomed to how her magic functioned and thus become more proficient with it. 

The list of emotions related to Sara's growing grasp on her healing magic included: happiness, peace, comfort, and affection. The idea that possibly love could be included in that list made her cheeks burn. True, she cared a lot for Gaster, but she still wasn't certain if she could label it as _that_ yet. 

Everything else beyond the two of them, however, seemed to continue to spiral downward.

It didn't take long for the local news to cover the attack at Bunny Lu's Bakery. And although Lu herself refused to be interviewed, still recovering from the loss, she did leave them a quote that made Sara feel a little more hope in what would become of her favorite workplace. She told interviewers that she was 'closed' but not 'out of business.' Once that information got out it wasn't long before everyone in Sara's family were interrupting each other with calls to her phone.

Jake gave her encouragement, telling her that he was more than grateful that she was relatively unharmed and still very much alive. His wife and their little daughter also gave their own words of encouragement to her in hopes that she would continue to recover and move on from the experience with time. Sara did feel a little bit better within herself from their words, especially when her niece said 'I love you' to her with a warble in her voice. 

Sara spent the most time talking to her mother. Although she stuttered now and then in retelling the details of what she could remember happening, her mom was patient and full of compassion for her one little girl. With her mom she was able to let out her worries and concerns, which Gaster was already familiar with, and in return receive words of wisdom as well as motherly love that helped to once again pacify her. 

Her father, however... The 'conversation' with him was not something anybody on either end of the line enjoyed. 

"I've told everyone that monsters would be trouble the moment they appeared. And now you finally get caught up in it because you just had to have a job with them." His tone over the phone was grating and harsh, making Sara cringe too much for her liking.

"Dad, there's nothing wrong with monsters. They don't cause trouble, it's us humans that cause it!"

"Don't sass me, young lady." She could hear her mom in the background give him a firm call to his name. He ignored it. 

"I'm not sassing, dad. Why aren't you listening?"

"No, you listen to me. It's for the best that place went up in flames--"

"Dad!" Sara wailed. 

"--and I don't want you going back there. Stop getting yourself involved when you know there's going to be people against it, myself included."

She didn't want to be dealing with this right now. She felt her voice chocking up in her throat. "Dad, stop. You're sounding too much like him..."

"Like who? Is there finally someone other than myself who sees reason?"

"Dad, I can't..." She swallowed, trying to keep her voice from going entirely. "I just can't. I'll call you later."

"Don't you--" She ended the call anyway and let her phone drop, perhaps a little too harshly, onto the coffee table and curled up on the edge of the couch.

Gaster, ever attentive, was there to comfort her. His hands brushed up and down her arms, or occasionally pause for a moment to lightly massage her shoulders. Sara heaved a sigh as if that particular breath would remove the stress lingering in her mind. Quietly she reached up and grasped one of his hands as he reached her shoulder again and tilted her head to the side to press her cheek against it, letting herself focus for a moment on his touch, the texture of the bone in his hand, the sensation of his magic against her skin, and let it calm her. 

"It hurts sometimes," she said softly.

The skeletal monster moved around and sat himself down next to Sara on the couch. He then reached out and caressed her cheek, and she once again leaned into his touch. 

"Sometimes it feels like no one out there really cares," she added. 

"You do. That is enough."

"Is it really?" she asked, her expression sad. It looked like tears were welling in her eyes, but she fought them back, keeping them from falling.

"Sara...Understand that great changes happen in increments. For you, those increments are simply you being true to yourself, being kind, to those around you. Very rarely do we see the full effect of our actions they cause on the world and those around us, but the effect is there nonetheless. Things will get better for us--for monsters--so long as there are people like you. Don't lose hope."

Sara swallowed as she laid her own hand on top of his and pressed her cheek further against it. "Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, everyone, for reading so far!  
> Check out my tumblr: jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com to see what nonsense I like and reblog. Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	23. An Unexpected Friend

Things didn't seem to get any better on campus either. Evan had been right when he said that campus was tearing itself apart over whether or not to continue to allow monsters on the grounds, or even in the university by any means. Students gathered around large areas between buildings to either show their protest or support to monsters while some of the more rational professors tried to herd them all back to their respective places. Sara was rather grateful that Gaster had decided to stay behind, she didn't want him getting caught up in all this. And although he was free from being harassed by one side or the other, the same could not be said for her. 

Sara certainly wasn't used to attention, be it good or bad, and she was having to deal with both in roughly the same amount of time. As she passed by monster supporters they gave whoops and whistles since some recognized her and how she'd occasionally bring her friend along. On the other hand, she got an earful of shouts and curses for her associating with a 'freak.' Wanting to avoid any confrontations she quickly made her way to her classes while keeping her arms close to her sides in a defensive position, feeling like she was a timid little sixth grader again. 

But harassment would follow her everywhere, regardless. Some of the other students in her classes would throw glares or other displeasing expressions and leave her feeling on edge. One student even dropped a plastic replica of a skull right onto her notebook, startling her.

"What's the matter? Spooky scary skele-face startle you?" asked the young woman who dropped the prop onto her stuff. Her classmate leaned in closer, further unsettling Sara. "I thought you liked skeletons. You keep bringing that tall one to campus."

"You some kind of necrophiliac?" asked a young man seated behind her. 

Now she felt embarrassed along with uncomfortable. Gaster was a humanoid skeleton monster, not some cadaver. She couldn't bring herself to say anything and so sad stupidly with her head bowed, staring at her lap.

"What other freaky kinks you got, huh?"

Sara's face began to burn. She honestly looked like she wanted to snap back at all this, but still could not find her voice. Not to mention, a part of her brain rationalized that retaliation would not make things any better for her. If she tried getting defensive they would just keep mocking her, and if she fought back they would verbally attack with possibly even worse comments. 

"If you're so interested in kinks, why not discuss _yours_?"

Sara glanced to the side to see a young woman whose face she recognized, put couldn't put a name on, standing in the doorway to the class room. She was tall and lean with skin like the color of hot chocolate. Sara could tell that her hair would normally be a bushy mess of tight, coal colored curls, but they had been partially tamed today and pulled back into a bushy ponytail. The young woman's equally dark eyes were narrowed towards Sara's harasser. 

The moment of silence lingered a moment longer before it was broken again. "Not interested in talking about yours, then? Alright. Then stop pestering her about hers." The other girl who had been bothering Sara pulled away, looking irritated and with her mouth open as she was about to say something more.

"Nu-uh! You back off and sit yourself down," she continued, pointing an accusing finger. While she kept her gaze towards the other girl, who slunk back into her seat, she made her way to the chair next to Sara and sat herself down. 

"Thanks," Sara said quietly, tentatively pushing the prop skull off to the side and out of her peripheral vision. 

"I've been getting harassed too, so I understand. Standing up for you, and other people like you, is just the right thing to do." She shrugged and she gave a broad smile, her teeth a bright contrast to the overall darker tones of her form. "Name's Chloe."

"Sara," she replied, giving her name in return. "I thought you looked familiar."

"Not surprising. I'm a history major, like you."

"Right. But you're usually sitting on the other side of the room. I remember."

She kept on smiling, helping to lighten Sara's mood. "Yep. Now I'm changing things up and sitting next to you."

• • •

Chloe's change up in seating and overall sticking with Sara helped to make things happening on campus more tolerable. Sara found herself appreciating greatly Chloe's enthusiasm as well as bravado in telling off anyone that tried to bother either of them. She simply didn't take crap from anybody, and when compared to Sara's gentler personality it made for them being an interesting pair. 

In the meantime, Sara continued to try and hold on to her current friendship with Cassy, despite Matt's advice to do otherwise. Cassy had been a calm and relaxing personality, similar to Sara's own, and she was hesitant to give that up just because of one person. Even if that one person was a confusing, and intimidating, boyfriend. Another issue was how the young woman herself was behaving lately, acting more and more like Evan, continually brushing off Sara's worries and defending her boyfriend more often than not. 

"He's just looking out for you," she said as her thumbs fiddled with the game on her phone's screen. 

"Have you not been listening? He practically threatened me!" Sara blurted out. She had retold what happened between the two of them leading up to the attack on the bakery. The more she thought about it, the less of coincidence it seemed. The thought made her shudder. 

"What if he's doing you a favor?" Cassy replied as she looked up. "You know, with all the nonsense happening lately, maybe it's better that we stick to our own. Less hassle."

"Not you too..." Sara's heart sunk. Now there was yet another person in her life that was sounding similar to the other. 

"I mean, think about it," she continued, "humanity has enough trouble with itself, and then these guys show up all of the sudden. They make for great excuses and scapegoats too, and they don't even fight back. Of course we're going to exploit that, which then only causes more trouble as people try and figure out what to do with them. It's easier to keep your distance."

"I can't believe you..." Sara said as she drew away. "Do you even hear yourself?"

Cassy gave her a look that was a typical 'duh.' "Yeah. Evan's right you know. Next time he talks to you, maybe you should listen."

Sara didn't want to listen, nor would she. Anytime she saw Evan after that she kept her distance. Oddly enough, he didn't seem at all interested in trying approach her anymore either. It was a little odd to her and a little unnerving, but she certainly wasn't complaining. It also helped how, at times, Chloe would be at her side and the woman would give a challenging glare to him whenever he got too close, since Sara did mention to her his peculiar behavior, and Chloe almost immediately turned into a defensive big sister. 

Chloe's behavior reminded Sara of when she was younger and how her own brother would act around any young man that appeared interested in her. It was hard not to notice his staring for an unreasonably long time, even giving the classic 'I'm watching you' gesture to them when he thought she wasn't watching. It discouraged off most of the boys that tried getting close to her during her middle and high school years. The relation between the two scenarios gave her a sense of comfort, as well as amusement. 

She even met Gaster. Although Sara worried all day that he would be bothered by the other students around campus Gaster wanted to confirm a few things with Professor Wall---that being the possibility of his having the opportunity to work in a monster friendly lab. The two had been discussing it off and on for weeks, sending correspondence to an old friend of the professor and ironing out which branch of the labs Gaster would go to, and thankfully there was one towards the downtown area of the city, as well as when he would start. From the sounds of things, it would be soon. Sara was more than happy to know that he would soon be returning to something he loved doing, but she still worried for him when they arrived on campus. 

Chloe, however, was like gallant knight that day as she kept any nay-sayers away from either of them. She was the eldest sister in her family so it was almost a required skill for her to learn how to be authoritative and know where to draw the line, as well as warn of what would come to those who dared cross it. And much to Sara's relief, the only 'interesting' comment Chloe had to make about Gaster was how his lanky frame made him look taller than he actually was. Sara became more and more grateful for her growing friendship with her. 

"She has such energy to her," Gaster commented when they reunited later that day, after her classes were over and his conversation with Professor Wall completed. "I would guess that her soul's color is some shade of orange."

"What does orange mean?"

"Bravery."

Thinking back on everything ever since she started being friends with Chloe, she had to agree. It suited her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog. Or, feel free to leave me a message~ 
> 
> 'till next time~


	24. Man of Science

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reached 100 pages in my Word doc with this chapter! Whoo!  
> Also, Gaster talks science. Nerd. <3

Sara nestled herself deeper into her jacket and scarf against the cool air of autumn. The season was in full swing, and Halloween was just around the corner so decorations and plans for themed parties were also in full swing. There were even places where the decorations had been up since the start of the month, some even earlier than that, if one could believe it. 

The trees were now as colorful as they would be before next spring; the colors of red, orange, yellow, and some pale browns blended with the stubborn shades of green that refused to acknowledge the passage of time. The shift in sunlight added to the scene around her, filtering in as a faded gold color that passed weakly through clouds and canopies. 

She was currently sitting on a bench in the courtyard of campus, nestled just off to the side of the central cluster of buildings as she waited for Gaster to finish talking to Professor Wall again, since she only had morning classes that day. From what he had mentioned on the ride there they were going to have a video call to finalize some details with the professor's friend, as well as the team of scientists already working at the branch that Gaster himself would hopefully work at as well. She would have been texting Chloe to pass some of the time, but the other girl had another class right then due to her minor, and Sara wasn't going to disturb her friend. She did, however, have her backpack with her and figured she'd get ahead in the assigned reading until the monster emerged. 

Eventually Sara was brought out of her reading when she noticed movement in front of her, seeing Gaster walk towards her. She couldn't help but feel anticipation as she saw the excited smile on his face. Her expression suddenly became surprise when he swung his arms around her and held her in an embrace, laughing happily. Rarely did he genuinely laugh, and Sara loved the sound of it every time he did. It was bright and breathy, and made Gaster sound a little younger than he probably was. After getting over her surprise she returned the gesture, loosely wrapping her arms around his chest. 

"Things went well?"

"I just got done talking to the current team at the lab. They're all looking forward to working with me. I start in November!"

Her smile broadened and her hold on him tightened, joining him in his happy laughter. "Gaster, that's wonderful!"

"Thank you so much, Sara," he said, his voice soft and gentle. 

"Wh--Whatever for?"

"For helping me gain this opportunity. For...just being supportive."

"It's what you love to do, right? If it makes you happy, then I'm happy."

"Thank you," he repeated after he pulled away. He still looked down at her with a smile then cleared his non-existent throat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, his cheekbones lighting up with the same soft purple as the glow in his eyes. Sara simply continued to smile back.

• • •

Gaster threw himself into his notes with abandon ever since then. He sat with an intense gaze as he skimmed through what he had written in all the previous journals he had collected, while a summoned pair of hands flipped through the pages for him. Sara noticed how his recent notes also included rough sketches and equations that made no sense to her due to her lack of understanding what they were calculating. 

Usually Sara wouldn't disturb Gaster when he got like this, but her curiosity got the better of her. She sat down on the edge of the couch still giving him some space by not getting too close. 

"What is it you're working on this time?"

"I can't remember all the details, but I'm trying to recreate the plans for the Core."

"The Core? What for?" she asked, her interest fully piqued now. 

"The other scientists were quite interested in the function of the Core in the underground when I spoke to them about it. It's possible, with them, I could recreate it for the surface."

"But, what would be the source if you made a Core for the surface? You said the one below ran off of geothermal energy. My first thought is using solar power, but that can get unreliable, depending on where it's built..."

Gaster gave her a gentle, affectionate smile, happy to see her take interest in his passion even if her input to it could be rather limited. Nevertheless he never passed up the possibility of her thinking of something he may not have. He summoned a second pair of hands to start jotting down additional ideas as they went through his head. 

"It's possible I can still make use of geothermal energy, but then the issue is safely channeling the output upwards rather than out, like how it was underground. If so, then the math needs to change entirely... And if I make this next Core's output be safely brought up to the surface, then there's the question of how residual magic will affect the surface as well..." 

Sara watched as both pairs of hands worked as quickly as Gaster's own thoughts, flipping through pages and scratching down those curious symbols. He was going off into his own world again and she could practically hear the whirring of the gears in his head. 

"Perhaps an experiment to see the short and long-term effects of magic. I'll need various samples. Will origin of the samples affect how the magic affects it in return? And if the quality..."

Gaster continued to ask himself questions, each one being written down as they went through his head. Sara wasn't going to bother him again so she quietly excused herself from the couch momentarily, got her backpack, retrieved her textbooks, then sat back down beside him and continued to read through her assignments before pulling out her own notebook to take notes and answer the question sheet handed out to her class. 

Although the majority of his thoughts were occupied with these upcoming projects, there was still a thought that lingered in the back of his mind away from the fluster of equations, 'if and then' hypotheses, and general theories. That thought was how he appreciated Sara's quiet presence beside him as she dove into her own passion for the past, her body nestled against the edge of the couch with her legs pulled up beside her and her materials open in her lap. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	25. Monster Mash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory Halloween chapter!

Sara always considered Halloween to be the start of the real fun in the year, even if it was leading towards the end of it. The usual excess of decorations themed after ghosts, witches, zombies, and the like made things exciting for her when she was a child. Now it gave her a different sense of excitement ever since monsters came up to the surface. In fact, the first Halloween after they showed up Sara began to wonder about the origins of the holiday and how it related to monsters. It was something she couldn't help but go on about with Gaster as she assembled her wardrobe for the evening since there was a party happening soon. 

"I really think that some of the original traditions of All Hallows Eve developed shortly after monsters were sealed away, where humans then taught each other to fear monsters. I mean, the fact that we dress up was originally done in order to confuse monsters and supposedly evil spirits. And, eventually, it turned into what it is now."

"It is a sound theory. I must admit I prefer what has become of the holiday now, as compared to what it started as," Gaster replied from outside Sara's room as he tucked a cream colored turtleneck into a pair of blue jeans. He wasn't used to wearing the material and preferred dress slacks most of the time. 

"I admit the same. I'm hoping that more monsters take to it this year than the last. So many that I saw seemed so confused." There was a pause as well as a rustle of fabric. "Gaster?"

"I don't feel quite myself wearing this," he replied sheepishly, his voice muffled from coming from the other side of the closed door. 

"That's the fun of Halloween. You dress up, you be something a little different. It's an excuse to be silly or pull out all the stops to your costume," Sara answered back as she shrugged on a black jacket then pulled its attached hood over her head. The rest of her outfit consisted of mostly black articles of clothing with the occasional punch of purple or green, once again dressing up as a witch like she had done for the past few years. It was an easy costume to pull off. 

"Uh, I..." Sara could just see his face alight with that purple glow as she opened the door to reveal their costumes to each other. 

Sara smirked, quite pleased with herself and the choice of costume she had given him. "Wow...You look good."

Topping off what would be a normal outfit of the turtleneck and jeans Gaster wore a faded black bomber jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow joints. A nice touch to the jacket was that it had a particularly fluffy fur lined hood. She had found it at a local thrift shop after she had the thought as to what to do to help Gaster dress up for Halloween, and she was internally grateful that the jacket was really the only thing she had to buy, which made his costume quite cheap. All she had to do after that was figure out how to organize his outfit to go with the jacket. Sara gave herself a figurative pat on the back now that she saw the whole thing assembled on his frame; his outfit would give off a somewhat bad boy air if not for his usual gentlemanly demeanor. 

"As do you," he replied, his tone of voice still sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. As she had suspected, the soft purple glow lit up the space across his cheekbones. 

She smiled at his compliment, easing a little of the awkward feeling that hung over him. "So, you ready to go?"

"I believe so."

• • •

For the past number of years there was a big Halloween party held at the house of one of the more popular students. Why Sara usually went was because of her friendship with Cassy, who was friends with a friend of the host. Now Sara was looking forward more to seeing Chloe there, as well as Matt, whom she had invited to come along and enjoy himself. He didn't seem to mind the idea that he was a few years older than everyone else would be, and even showed a little bit of boyish excitement when Sara invited him, since his Halloween parties of late were rather lacking. 

The two were more than a half hour late to the party when they arrived. Things were just beginning to build up between the large assortment of people and monsters as they all talked over the music that reverberated through the air and the house itself. Most of the energy was towards the back of the house and spilling out to the backyard where there was even a pool for people who wanted to dip their feet in, or even jump in if they so desired. It usually happened, at least, once. 

"Chloe!" Sara blurted out when she caught sight of her friend. Chloe had her hair down, letting her curls bounce with every turn of her head. Her outfit was a colorful collection of light and floating fabrics with fake coins and other trinkets attached to the edges, giving her a gypsy-like appearance. 

"Hey Sara. Glad you could make it," her friend answered back, giving Sara a tight hug. She looked up and gave a grin towards Gaster as well. "Hey, nice outfit, Gaster."

"Ah, thank you. I'm not quite used to it yet."

Chloe gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Ah, you're fine. Just enjoy the party and don't worry so much about how you look. Any wardrobe malfunctions are usually a problem us ladies have to deal with." She leaned in close to Sara with a smirk. "Apparently there has been one already."

"What, seriously?" 

"Oh yeah, that killed the mood for a few minutes."

The number of people continued to grow as time went on. Eventually it got to a point where if anyone was inside the house it was standing room only, and people had to force and squeeze their way through just to get anywhere--like the kitchen where all the food was set out as a buffet, or to the bathroom. 

At some point in the evening Sara lost track of Gaster, surprisingly, since he stood a good bit taller than everyone else around him. Or would it be better to say he lost her, considering her shorter height and thus easy ability to get lost in the crowd? Either way they no longer stood close to one another. Sara hoped that he was enjoying himself and possibly finding science students to chat with, or anyone else who took interest in monsters. 

When she found him, though, she found him nearly backed against a wall with some other girl who looked a little too interested. Sara immediately got concerned when she saw Gaster with his shoulders risen up towards his skull and his hands up in a defensive manner while his face was glowing that soft purple again. She had to push her way through the mass of people between them and as she drew near she could hear the girl's voice, and could tell that she had a few drinks already. Great, just like last year, she was going to have to handle people getting drunk.

"You're cute when you do that," said the girl as she waggled her finger in Gaster's face, making him lean back and away. His skull tapped against the wall as he did so. 

"S-surely there are others wh-who of greater interest th-than I." The poor monster was at a complete loss as to how to handle this sort of attention. It was nothing like Sara's gentle and understanding behavior. This young woman currently in front of him stood a little too close and had a tone of voice that made him feel even more uneasy.

"Naaah," the girl drawled out as she drew even closer, making Gaster press his spine against the wall. "I like purple...Just how much of you can turn purple..."

"Gaster!"

His expression was pleading when he caught sight of Sara approaching. He tried to sidle away from the young woman before him, and Sara had to intervene before she tried anything. Despite her being shorter than this other woman by a few inches she still put enough force against the girl's shoulder to force her to take steps away from Gaster.

"Stop it," Sara said firmly. "You're making him uncomfortable. Leave him alone."

"Aw, I can help you relax, big guy...Make you comfortable..."

Sara bristled and her cheeks flushed, her mind following an undesired path as she understand the girl's implications towards him. She quickly grasped Gaster's hand and held tight as she guided him out of the house and to the backyard where there was far more space and far fewer people refilling their cups with alcohol. It was a relief to take a large breath of air that was cool and crisp in comparison to the warm, tight feeling inside the house.

"I apologize. I didn't expect--"

"You don't need to apologize," Sara said. She gave a squeeze to his hand. "I'm the one who's sorry...sorry for leaving you to deal with that."

He squeezed her hand in return. "My own still stands, regardless."

"There you two are!" said Chloe, who was still clearly enjoying herself. "I've been looking for you. Where did you disappear to?"

"Had a rescue mission," Sara said, giving an awkward smile. 

"Aw, poor Gaster," Chloe laughed. "Although, I'm not surprised. He is one of the better looking guys here." Gaster sputtered, still rather embarrassed from the scenario, before looking down at his shoes. "Oh, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. Give us a second, will you?" she asked, looking to the monster. He gave a nod in response. 

Chloe drew Sara towards the fence that lined the furthest boundary of the property so the two could have a little more privacy to their conversation, as well as hear themselves better over the music that was still blasting. 

"Okay, so, Matt..."

"What about him?" Sara asked. 

"Dude's kind of awesome...in his own kind of chill way. I think I'm already starting to like him."

Sara suddenly laughed, feeling pleased. Earlier in the evening she had introduced the two in hopes that she could make these two friends become friends themselves. Learning that Chloe may already be developing a crush on Matt was just an added bonus to an already successful plan. And it wasn't just a one-sided success either, since Matt had been showing his own interest in Chloe and her personality while she was around. She was energy while he was relaxation; two opposites that were bound to attract, as the old saying went. 

Meanwhile, while Gaster waited for the two young ladies to finish their conversation he went back to one of the things he did best--observe. He went back into his usual habit of holding his hands behind him as he stood off to the side, his purple colored pupils watching the behavior of both human and monster as they enjoyed the party. It was fascinating to watch how behaviors changed depending on the moment that either species found themselves in, giving him more insight and understanding. It also made him smile to see both races mingling well with each other.

"Well, well..." 

Gaster's smile faltered.

He looked down to find Evan smirking up at him. Due to his recent behavior around Sara he had his own reservations about the young man. Interestingly, Evan was dressed up to look like a skeleton himself, though he didn't go so far as to have face paint in order to have his face resemble a skull. Gaster glanced around quickly and spotted Cassy not far off, chatting with a small cluster of other youth. 

"Hello," Gaster said, bringing his focus back to Evan.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"To an extent," he replied honestly. "There are certain behaviors humans perform that I would prefer to not experience again."

Evan snorted, amused, while his smirk remained unmoved. "Maybe next time there's a party, let the humans have their fun. We've been doing just fine by ourselves."

Gaster raised a brow bone at the young man's reply. There was an inflection in his tone that left him feeling unsettled again, and in a worse way than when the tipsy female had tried to flirt with him. His hands, still held behind him, tightened their grip on one another. 

Evan's eyes glanced momentarily to the side at something behind Gaster, then back to the monster. "You know, I just had a thought..." Gaster tilted his head slightly as he continued to watch Evan intently. Evan's smirk grew to become a crooked and devious smile. "When a monster dies it's called 'Falling,' right?"

He tensed where he stood, his pupils tightening into smaller orbs. He didn't like where this was going. 

"Is it like actual falling? What does it feel like? Maybe something like _this_?" 

Evan brought his hands forward and gave a shove into Gaster's chest, unsettling the monster's balance. Gaster's slight step backward was enough for his foot to slip off the edge of the pool behind him and leave him tumbling backwards into the water with a gasp. 

In an instant he recalled when he fell into the Core and was lost to space, time, and memory, with a painful throb from his soul. He panicked the moment he hit the water with a hard splash, struggling to regain his bearings before his skeletal hand found the edge and he forced himself back above the surface, coughing and sputtering. 

Sara heard the splash, her attention momentarily brought to the pool by movement to see who had gone under. She usually assumed someone willfully dove in to start the movement of more people to soak themselves by taking the plunge. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was Gaster who had gone in and his every action clearly showed that he hadn't been planning on going into the water. When she heard him cough and sputter when he resurfaced she broke away from Chloe and went straight to the pool.

"Gaster!" The lights in his eyes were dim pinpricks and he looked more than startled, he looked near terrified when he looked up at her. She reached out her hand to help pull himself back out of the pool. His grip was weak and she could feel his bones rattling, though his soaked clothing absorbed most of the sound. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"N-no. I-I'm fine..." 

She knew he wasn't fine, she could see it. He was clearly in the middle of recovering from his sudden panic with his bones still rattling, and his breathing shallow and uneven. And there was Evan, standing there, with that crooked devious smile plastered across his face. Gaster's look of fright combined with Evan's current expression finally made the girl snap. She would tolerate him for as long as she needed to, but daring to do anything to Gaster was two steps out of line. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she yelled as she shoved her weight against him, making him stumble back a couple steps. People were starting to quiet down to listen in to what was suddenly going on, the music sounding even louder with their silence, but Sara didn't care about any of that. 

"Whoa, Sara, calm down," Cassy said as she appeared at her boyfriend's side. "You know how he's like. It was--"

"No!" Sara retorted, silencing her friend. "I am done listening to you excuse everything he's done lately. I'm done with you brushing everything off as 'he's just teasing' or 'he doesn't mean it'." Sara couldn't remember the last time she rose her voice to this level.

"It was just a joke, Sara," Evan said coolly. That irksome smirk remained, and it ruffled Sara's feathers further. 

"Do you see him laughing?" she spat back, pointing to Gaster. "Do you see anyone laughing at any of this?" she continued, gesturing towards the party as a whole. 

"Screw you, Evan! I'm done dealing with you," Sara yelled, glaring right at him. Her harsh expression was then directed towards Cassy. "And I'm done with you defending him all the time." She shook her head towards the young woman. "I can't stay friends with you if you insist on staying with him."

"What--Sara!"

Sara made herself ignore the protests of her now former friend as she backed away from the couple and turned her attention to Gaster, grasping his hand again and urging him away from the party. "C'mon, G. Let's go home and get you dried off."

Due to her back being turned Sara never noticed how Evan remained looking as smug as ever. In fact, he even looked pleased with himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all see what I did with Gaster's costume? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	26. V O I D

The troubles from the Halloween party had to be quickly set aside once November rolled around. With each day that drew nearer to his starting to work at the lab Gaster was both excited as well as a bundle of nerves. Sara could understand, since the last time he was in a lab it had ended rather poorly for him and the effect of it was something he didn't want to remember. A few times Sara had to reach out and remind him to stay calm because things were going to be fine. 

It also gave them enough time to figure out how things would work out between them once he did start in the lab. Gaster couldn't very well take Sara's car to drive, and she worried that public transportation might prove to be a little hazardous due to his being a monster. She just worried he would be pestered and harassed until he got to his stop. However, to their luck, one of the other scientist's routes to work was on the same path as the apartment, so Gaster would just commute with him. The two still went over bus routes and times, just in case. 

By the time Gaster's first day arrived troubles from the previous month were forgotten completely.

• • •

Sara was roused from her slumber when she felt Gaster rise and leave the bed, leaving her with a lack of the comforting tingle of his magic as well as the hum of it that flowed through his body. It had become a soothing sensation that helped her sleep that much more deeply ever since they starting sharing her bed. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, looking at her alarm clock out of habit and seeing that she still had a few minutes before the irritating beeping would start. 

"Still a little early," she mumbled. 

"Consider it a little bit more of a head start to the day," he replied, chuckling as he picked out his wardrobe for the day and then excused himself to the bathroom to change. 

He made a fair point. Stretching then disabling her alarm she slipped out of bed too. She was looking forward to her week long break from classes come the week of Thanksgiving, which was coming up soon. But after that she'd have to start worrying about exams come December. But she was getting ahead of herself and she wanted to focus on today. 

Today included her evening class, so she had to prepare herself accordingly for the extended stay on campus. After dressing and pulling her hair up into its usual ponytail she packed the necessary texts into her backpack and went out into the kitchen. Gaster was already busying himself there, assembling a quick and easy breakfast for himself. He proved himself to be a proficient cook once he learned the recipes, able to recall them from memory, whereas Sara would still need to look at the recipe itself while she worked, depending on the complexity. 

The two maneuvered around each other within the limited space of her kitchen. Ever since Gaster was restored things had been reorganized and created a flow between the two of them, he reaching up while she would reach forward or down to grab at whatever the two of them needed. She had just gotten utensils for them use for breakfast when she paused and smiled to herself, taking in the moment. 

"What's on your mind?" he asked, gently placing a hand between her shoulder blades. 

"Just...this. Us. It looks, and feels, very...domestic," she said, pausing momentarily before she decided with herself to say the last word. A faint blush came across her cheeks as she remained smiling. "I like it."

"As do I," Gaster replied. "This is something I did not have in my life while underground. But I'm glad I have it now." The smile on her face remained as she glanced sideways at him. He returned the smile, his expression a mixture of quiet happiness and affection. 

And then it came time for them to head off and go their separate ways. Gaster's ride was the first to arrive, so he was the first to leave. He and Sara stood facing each other at the door to her apartment their hands gently grasping each other's and going over, one last time, how things were going to work.

"I'll let you know when I get there, and when I'm on my way back so you know when to expect me," Gaster said.

"And I'll do the same," Sara replied. "Stay safe, Gaster. And have a good first day."

"Thank you, Sara. I'll see you when I come home."

Home. He considered this little apartment, this little place with her, as home. The thought made her heart beat a little faster and her soul pulse. He bent down towards her and made her squeak in surprise as he touched his face to her cheek, nuzzling her there for a moment as he had no way of leaving a kiss like a human would. Nevertheless, the action made her cheeks redden and she quickly, yet shyly, returned the gesture by kissing his own cheekbone. Just like her his own face gained a tint of color.

• • •

The lab coat hung a little too loosely over him due to his much thinner, lankier form, but he couldn't help but feel his soul pulsing within him. There were differences here and there because of the difference between what humans and monsters studied, nevertheless, it was a sight that was still familiar to him. He was in his element. 

The rest of the team were quite thrilled to meet him in person and the first comments they made were, surprisingly, about his height even though he was only a few inches taller than even the previously tallest scientist there. Then the barrage of questions dealing with his previous studies came up and the time simply flew by from there. He had to explain much of his notes due to nobody being able to understand his writing, but that didn't stop any of his team from discussing with each other and replicating everything he had done himself and putting it into English. Their enthusiasm, their curiosity, for his research and project ideas fueled his own and it kept his soul thrumming happily.

• • •

Sara sighed when she finally exited the building after finishing her evening class. The time it began combined with the extended length of it somehow wore her out almost every week, even if it was just twice a week. And because of the time it ended, combined with the time of the year, the sun was almost nearly set on the horizon leaving more shadows than rays of light. As she made her way to her car she pulled out her phone and sent Gaster a text saying she was on her way home. 

She was just getting towards the driver's side when an arm wrapped around her waist and something was clamped over her mouth and nose. 

Her fight-or-flight instinct immediately kicked in as she flailed against whoever it was that was holding her. She could hear the hiss of gas being pumped through the mask thrown over her face and her panic rose as she wondered what it was she was being forced to breathe in.

"Shh...I warned you, Sara."

Her eyes widened as she recognized that voice. Evan. 

Her pause was long enough for another figure to show up and bind her wrists in a zip-tie. She screamed through the mask, but the sound was muffled and her continuing attempts to struggle were getting weaker and weaker. She was quickly feeling her limbs go numb and her thoughts fade out. 

"I warned you. But you refused."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, those warnings Evan's been giving Sara since chapter 13? That's why. 
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	27. Zero Ground

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some violence in this chapter, along with some descriptions of blood. Just a warning to those who are a little more squeemish.

Something wasn't right. The silence was almost eerie as he stepped through the door and shut it behind him; the echo of its closing seemed to seep into himself as well as the air within. The simple lack of anything happening within was unsettling to him. He would have expected the sound of her voice greeting him, the quiet turning of a page, or even her music softly playing from her laptop as she read, but... 

"Sara?"

Silence. It made Gaster's bones begin to rattle as he helplessly remembered when he had been surrounded by silence, nothingness. Even his soul began to tremble within himself, making him grip at his shirt. 

"Sara?"

It was hard for him to breathe. She wasn't in the kitchen; she wasn't in the living room, bundled up on the sofa; she wasn't in her room. He thought for sure she would have been home by now, and her absence was unsettling him. It was as if she had disappeared. 

"Sara!"

• • •

The world came back to her slowly, gradually, fading in like a cheap movie effect. The first coherent thought she managed to make was an internal gripe about how her wrists ached. A moment later she also realized how her shoulder and hip ached too as they pressed heavily against a cool, stony floor. She gave involuntary whimper as she continued to regain consciousness, her fingers brushing against the texture of the floor she lay on. With each moment her mind continued to finally put back together what had happened before passing out.

She had been heading to her car after class, she had texted Gaster, and then Evan showed up. 

With a quiet gasp she shifted, rolling over to her front and pushing herself up to a kneeling position. She hissed behind her teeth as her wrists ached again, noticing that they were still bound due to the zip-tie and a faint band of red forming just underneath on her skin. 

"Whoa, you're awake," came an unfamiliar voice.

Sara looked off to the side and found a teenage boy sitting against the wall, wrists bound just like her. Under his left eye was an uncomfortable mixture of purple and yellow colored skin, showing that he was recovering from receiving a black eye. She also saw how his bottom lip was scabbed from having been cut open. She assumed that whatever, maybe whoever, gave him the black eye also was the cause of his busted lip. 

Not too far from him was an older man with his back against a thin column or pillar that looked like it was supporting the upper levels of wherever they were. He had bruises around his eyes and nose like the boy, as well as scrapes along the side of his face. Sara noticed how his hands--also bound--looked particularly raw with their own developing scabs and lingering flecks of what appeared to be dried blood. 

Sara worried how many other wounds the two had beyond what she could see. 

It looked like they were in a basement of a house somewhere. Panels along the walls were bare, exposing the insulation and woodwork making up the structure of the house. Up above the wiring and piping were exposed as well, weaving through the frame that would make up the ceiling as well as the bottom most part of the floor of the level above them. There were large sheets of translucent plastic heaped to the side, cans of open and used up paint, and some abandoned storage boxes. From the looks of things the basement where she was currently held had been in the middle of a remodel.

"Where are we?" she asked.

The teenage boy shrugged. "Dunno. I got knocked out, kidnapped, and woke up here. Were you kidnapped too?"

"Y-yeah. You too?" she asked, looking to the older man.

"Yes." His tone of voice was low and tired. 

"Why were we taken? I don't understand..."

"Still trying to figure that out," replied the teen. He tilted his head back to gaze upward at the one window in the area. It was a long and narrow one, slightly clouded over, but still clear enough to allow some vision of the outside world. However, it was currently too dark outside to really see anything beyond the window itself. "One thing for sure is that they don't like us being close to monsters."

"Wait, they? Who's they?"

"Zero Ground," replied the man.

"Zero Ground?" Sara repeated, disbelieving. "The...the anti-monster group? Wait, so what association do you two have with monsters that Zero Ground would be so against it?"

"I'm married to one," replied the man. When he spoke he looked down at his hand, the glint of polished metal reflecting momentarily off the artificial lights humming quietly above them. He looked sad as he looked down at his wedding band, worry crossing his features as well.

"I have an adopted brother who's a monster," said the teenage boy. He raised a brow at Sara. "What about you, huh?"

"I..." She paused, not quite sure how to word her situation with Gaster since she had never really given it much thought, simply accepting the way things were between them. "I live with one. He and I are..."

"Ah, so you're romantically involved with one."

Sara brought her head down, feeling embarrassed. "Y-yeah..."

"Great, now you got someone else to talk to," said the boy, looking to the man. "Someone else to share sappy love stories with." He stuck out his tongue in a weak display of distaste. 

"How long have you two been here?" Sara asked, choosing to avoid the topic of romance or love for the sake of saving herself from a lot of awkwardness and embarrassment.

"A couple of days, I guess. I'm getting antsy though. There's only so many times I can circle around this place before it gets way too boring." He paused and shifted a bit where he sat. "Well, antsy's better than getting knocked around like a punching bag..."

"I haven't bothered to count the days," the man replied. His focus remained downward, keeping his eyes on his wedding band. "I just want to get back to my partner."

Sara could understand that. She didn't want to really know how long she was out, or how long she might be trapped here, she just wanted to find a way back to Gaster. She did wonder, however, how worried he would be. Would he panic? How would he react to her disappearance? Her chest ached at those thoughts as well as her wrists once more when she wriggled them in the wrong way. 

"Me too," she whispered. She sat back, pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face as she let herself think of happier moments with the monster, pushing away the worry and the darker thoughts that tried to creep into her mind. The ache in her chest began to ease as her worries made way for momentary peace. She breathed deeply, noticing a soft pulse of green light behind her eyes and let the effect happen. 

She never noticed the teen's look of wonder on his face as he watched streaks of green light emerge from her and then float around her like shooting stars in slow motion.

• • •

Gaster's bones had yet to cease rattling. He had gone out to notice that Sara's car wasn't even parked in the complex's parking lot. He had tried calling Professor Wall, and had been told that the instructor hadn't seen Sara lately. He had tried calling Matt and Lulu, but they also had no clue as to Sara's whereabouts. There was worry in Matt's tone when he heard Gaster's own uncertain voice, and then told the monster he would try his best to help find out where she had gone. Lulu told him she would let him know the moment she learned anything. And then he had tried calling Chloe. She, unfortunately, had no leads either, but she too told him she would do all she could to locate her friend. He ended the call and set aside his phone feeling even more at a loss than before.

He sat on the couch and buried his face in his hands trying to calm himself as best he could. The evening quickly became night and Gaster couldn't find it in himself to try and put his worries aside. The thought of going to her room alone, lying on that bed alone, waking up alone made him let out a shaky breath, causing his bones to clatter against each other even harder for a moment. No, he couldn't bring himself to rest while she was missing. 

Who would want to take her away? Where had she been taken to? Was she unharmed? He certainly hoped that she was. He couldn't bear the thought of her wounded and bleeding. 

The night continued on and Gaster remained unmoved from his spot. He, however, was brought out of his thoughts and worries with a startle when his phone vibrated and gave off one of the generic ringtones available. He never had really bothered to customize his phone much like Sara had. Answering the phone as quickly as he could he didn't bother to see how it was that was calling. But he hoped...

"Sara?"

"Hello doctor," came a masculine voice. Gaster thought he recognized the voice, but with the slight distortion of coming through a phone he wasn't sure. 

"Who is this?"

"Why not come outside and greet your guest, hm?"

"I ask again: who is this? What do you want?"

There was a chuckle, low and devious. "Come outside first, to the back. For her sake you better do it too."

His grip on his phone tightened and he tensed. Was this the same person responsible for Sara's disappearance? And from the sound of it he was threatening her safety. His soul throbbed painfully within him as he rose and made his way to the door, slipping outside and looking out to the dark scene before him. 

The only thing that broke through the darkness were the street lights a few dozen yards away as well as wall mounted lights to keep walkways illuminated during the night. A lonely car drove along the road at a casual pace, passing by the complex and continuing on as the whisper of its wheels on the road faded away in the distance. Following the sound of the car came another whisper, this time of wind as it passed through the trees. Gaster would have thought the night peaceful on any other occasion.

Still keeping the call going he went down the stairwell to the ground floor and made his way towards the back of the building. Due to the time of night that it was there were no other figures outside, which only reminded Gaster again of the emptiness that struck him when he walked into the apartment earlier. However, there was a single figure leaning against a lamp post with their back turned, hand raised to hold a phone to their own ear; but as Gaster approached the call ended at the same time the figure brought their phone away. 

"Sorry for the inconvenience," said the figure, though their tone was hardly sincere. Had he a heartbeat it would have skipped upon recognizing the voice. It was a voice of a young man he was steadily coming to distrust. And when the figure turned around his already negative feelings towards the young man only increased. Evan. 

"Sara. Where is she? What have you done with her?" Gaster demanded, his glowing pupils contracting to tight pinpricks.

"She's fine...for now," Evan replied casually, almost smugly. There was an infuriatingly pleased smile on his face as he watched the monster tense. "And she'll remain that way if you do what we say."

"Which will include what?" 

He shrugged. "That depends. I'm not the who calls the shots. I do, however, get the pleasure of watching you squirm with whatever message I deliver to you."

Gaster's jaw tightened, his teeth clenching uncomfortably. "And what is required of me now?"

"Nothing yet. But don't worry," Even said. He held up the phone he had been keeping in his hand and showed it off to Gaster. It took only a moment for him to realize what the young man was doing. More than just showing how contact would be maintained between them, he was mocking the monster as Gaster recognized the case protecting the phone with a sudden sense of dread. It was pastel orange with a lace-like pattern weaving its way across the case. 

Sara's phone. 

"We'll be in touch."

• • •

Sara yelped then hissed, fighting back a whimper as pain throbbed at the back of her skull from being tossed gracelessly to the floor. She twisted to her side to try and get herself back up but a heavy boot pressed down onto her back, keeping her pinned to the concrete. Her head was held at an awkward position, straining her neck a little, and it was harder to breathe due to the weight of her assailant pressing down on her. 

She had quickly seen for herself how Russ and Clark--the teen and older man, respectively--had gained their particular wounds. Not long after she had regained consciousness that members of Zero Ground descended the stairwell leading into the basement to 'greet' Sara. The greeting included getting hauled up to her feet by the collar of her shirt then forced against the wall as they threw insults and curses at her face. Her shoulderblade still ached from smacking against the pipe of plumbing that went from the higher floors down past the house's foundation.

She hissed again as the shoe was ground harder against her back, hitting at the sore spot on her shoulderblade. Then she yelped again when her ponytail was pulled at, hard, making her arch her neck backwards until it was nearly painful.

"Stop, please," she whimpered. 

"Nah, not yet," the man replied. "Gotta mess you up like your other monster-loving traitors here," he continued, referring to her only two companions down here. 

He forcibly rolled Sara over then hoisted her up by her shirt collar until she was kneeling on the ground. A moment later pain jolted through her face as she was given a backhanded strike to her cheek. Unable to keep much balance she topped sideways back onto the ground where the Zero Ground member pressed his large, rough hand onto her head to keep it there. She could feel her skin practically grinding uncomfortably against the floor. 

"Stop it!" Russ cried out. His own plea for mercy was met with a hand clenching his throat to silence him by another member of the group. 

"You really have no shame, huh?" asked the man beating on Sara in a low voice as he squat down to keep her face against the floor. "You're about as bad as the old man. Heard your choice was a skeleton looking guy, too. For such a sweet face you sure made a morbid choice."

She remained silent, keeping her eyes shut in her refusal to acknowledge his presence and his words. That, apparently, was the wrong thing to do. She heard him growl and she yelped when he yanked at her hair once more, likely to make her look at him.

"Hey, I'm talking to you."

When she continued to refuse to look at him she heard another growl of frustration from the man. Then, suddenly, white flashed through her vision as she was struck right at her nose. She fell back one more, whimpering as pain throbbed from the center of her face. Moments later she was beginning to feel warm liquid seep towards her lip. Pulling herself up she cautiously reached up and found a smear of blood on her fingertip. Her bleeding nose continued to drip red, small drops falling and leaving splatters on the floor. 

From the looks of it, the man was about do something more when the sounds of the door leading to the basement jostled. It sounded like locks were being pulled away and there was the 'click' of a typical door lock being removed as well. There were heavy footfalls coming down the stairwell which revealed to be a middle-aged woman who looked fairly normal, save for a tattoo on her forearm in the design of Zero Ground: a shattered mountain with a clenched fist in front. 

All the current members of the group currently beating on Sara, Russ, and Clark paused at her appearance. When they saw what she had in her hands they pulled away entirely to leave the three to lick their wounds. As the woman approached Sara instinctively backed away, her back hitting against a bookshelf that had some of its shelves either broken or removed entirely. 

"Calm down, I'm bringing you food," she said. Her lips were curled up slightly as if amused by Sara's reaction, or possibly at how she now looked after the beating. She then held up three bags of fast food items, the smell of grease and salt steadily wafting into the air and covering up the somewhat musty smell of the basement around them. "It's all the same stuff, so no need to fight over anything. Enjoy." 

The woman left the bags on the floor, turned around and headed back up the stairs as well as the other members of Zero Ground. The door closed behind them with a wince-inducing slam, which was then followed by the sound of the locks being put back into their place, effectively keeping the three of them sealed down below. Once they were gone Sara allowed herself to finally lose herself to the pain, completely ignoring the metallic taste of blood from drops that rolled past her lips and into her mouth. Russ and Clark looked on at her in sad understanding as she cried.

• • •

Gaster didn't sleep at all that night. His nerves simply remained too agitated for him to rest and the overall stress of the situation was what was currently keeping him going. Even so, he could feel the tug of fatigue pulling gradually harder on him as the hours of the following day went on. He had paced back and forth along every possible path he could make within the apartment thinking over his situation, the possible situation Sara was in, and what he could possibly do about it. 

Eventually he figured his best choice of action was to go the authorities. He knew better than to try and be a vigilante by saving her himself. Combined with the fact that he had little to no information about where to find her, or any real confirming evidence that she was unharmed, he knew he would have to keep himself rational for long enough to explain what had happened within the past twenty-four hours.

• • •

She tried, she really did, but there were too many factors in play which kept her from making full use of her healing magic: fear for her life, worry over how Gaster was doing, the aches and pains that lingered from the beating... Her nose had stopped bleeding for some time now, but there was still a dull ache that remained from the hits she had taken. Her wrists stung from their bonds and her arms had the beginnings of bruises from the rough grips against her skin.

She wanted to focus first on Clark and Russ. She wanted to make sure that they were okay before she would look to her own injuries, but she just couldn't do it. Not under these circumstances, not in this place. The best she could manage were weak sparks of green light that flickered in the air for a few seconds before fizzling out of existence.

"Don't push yourself," Clark said calmly as he watched her. 

"But what about--"

"We've survived so far. Even without magic we humans are still pretty good at self healing. It just takes time; be patient."

• • •

"Are you sure we're ready for this?"

"Truth be told, we should have done it sooner. Ah well, then or now it'll still leave an impact. It's almost funny, really. A few monsters get dusted and every goes 'oh, how tragic.' But a few drops of human blood, and society looses their collective mind." There was a low, dark laugh. "Make the call."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	28. A Request

Three days. Three days since Evan made that contact with Gaster in the middle of the night, threatening Sara and taunting him. And, for three days he remained unable to think clearly, sleep properly, eat right, or function normally at all. The glow in his eyes was dimmer than usual and his expression was more pulled down as worry, nervousness, and anticipation all collided within him leaving him a mess. His colleagues at the lab commented more and more often at how tired and distracted he was as they developed their own sense of concern for him, though they never could quite guess as to what was bothering him since he never told them about Sara's kidnapping. He didn't feel it was right to burden them with his problem. 

Gaster currently sat on the edge of the couch with his head in his hands and his phone sitting quietly on the table in front of him. All he wanted was word that Sara was okay, and that want for consolation consumed him whenever he remained in her apartment. With each passing day he knew a little bit more of his hope was chipped away, cracking beneath him like unsteady earth as it threatened to fall apart and become a gaping hole with a fall into what was despair. 

So, when his phone rang, vibrating harshly against the wood of the coffee table, Gaster jumped. He reached out to grab it but he hesitated for a few moments as he looked at the caller ID as it read 'Sara' before him. For a brief moment he believed it was actually going to be her, that he would hear her voice again. But, a moment later he made himself remember that Evan, and whoever else had taken her, were using her phone to keep in contact with him. It was a cruel play they used on his emotions. 

"Hello," he said flatly, hoarsely, feeling fear bubble within him and steadily rise as his mind immediately wondered what these people wanted with him.

"Hello, doctor," came Evan's unfortunately familiar voice in reply. Gaster's grip on his phone tightened. "As a man of science, we believe you'd appreciate performing an experiment."

"What kind of experiment?"

"Just a small demonstration, if you will. I'm going to give you a location which you will travel to. We expect you to arrive there alone. Pay attention, too, because I will only tell you once."

Gaster leaned back against the cushions of the couch, feeling his worry and fear only rise higher with this new development, his expression tense as he hid his eyes behind his free hand. He quietly summoned a pair of hands to open to the back of his current journal and quickly write down the coordinates of wherever it was that they wanted him. Even the purple tinted spectral hands trembled slightly.

"Go on," he said, his voice still quiet. 

"Good. Now..."

• • •

"It's gotten too quiet," Sara muttered as she craned her head back to stare up at the ceiling, as if she could look past the wiring and wood framework into the upper floors of the mystery home. 

She, Clark, and Russ had gotten used to the sounds of movement above them in the course of the days they remained sealed below. None were paying too much attention to how many days, exactly, had passed but Sara guessed it was somewhere around two to three for her. Even longer for the other two. During those long hours each day there would be nothing for them to do. The only thing that broke the monotony of those hours would be the beatings that came from their captors. Sara had gotten chocked, punched, kicked, spat on, cursed at, and generally tossed around in the few days she was locked down here--wherever 'here' was. 

But then there would be the moments of tentative peace, free from beatings, free from being mocked and scorned when the three of them would have time to think. In those times Sara would occasionally stand on her tip toes at the window and stare out it as if hoping somebody would appear, not that it really helped since the window faced the direction of another neighboring house with a thick line of trees in the background. 

The visible house nearby looked to be in construction, but there hadn't been any sound of heavy machinery or equipment due to the neighborhood's development having gone under while in the middle of the project. Thus, for some months now, acres of land that had been cleared away and built upon but with only a few houses ever being completed. The rest remained awkwardly stalled out in construction. At least this house already had working plumbing, since the little bathroom was the only other room in the basement. But even with that working bathroom, it was only a toilet, and so the three of them had gone without bathing for that entire time.

Usually the light thumping of feet going around upstairs was more frequent than this. Also there would be the muffled sounds of voices chatting with each other. But, recently things had gotten a little too quiet and it left an unsettling feeling within the girl's stomach, leaving her feeling a little sick. 

"I don't like this," she added.

"Me neither," Russ commented as he walked in a circle around the basement, coming around for another lap. He had gotten quite good at a slow, meditative walk where he carefully aligned heel to toe, one in front of the other. Such a walk had been suggested to him by Clark to help him occupy his mind a little more while still keeping his body active, even if not at quite the pace the boy liked. 

"They're never this quiet unless it's night time, and since they just dropped off another bag of fast food for us it's just after dinner," the boy added. "I wonder what's going on."

"I'm not sure I really want to know," Sara replied.

"What if they decide to kill us, though?"

"It's not likely," Clark said, catching the attention of the younger two. "Zero Ground is a group based on maintaining a clear separation between humans and monsters. They're the parts of society that can't, and won't, accept change as it happens around them. They're the people who panic the moment something different happens, and then struggle to the end to ensure control. They're borderline human supremacy. It's more likely that they want us to break away from our connection to monsters. Consider this time down here as their version of 'time out,' I suppose."

"That's quite an observation," said Russ.

"When you're as old as me, and have dealt with similar issues as you've grown up, you would likely make similar observations," Clark replied. 

"Fair point."

"I'm still nervous, though," Sara said. "Usually, different means something bad. At least, in the movies." She fidgeted, twisting her wrists in their binds and winced. Her wrists were worn raw at this point. 

"Yeah, you and me both," Russ said, sitting himself down once again and leaning his back against the wall. "Let's just hope that, unlike the movies, nothing happens."

• • •

The cab driver looked at Gaster oddly when they arrived at the monster's destination. But, the driver shrugged off the oddness of the situation since he had driven through odder places than this before. His passenger never mentioned about sticking around, so once he was paid his fare, he just went off, clicking the little light atop his car to green again as he disappeared around a curve in the road. 

Gaster looked around nervously. Apparently this was the place he was supposed to be, but uncertainty remained churning inside him regardless. He pulled out the ripped out page of his journal which had the address written down in an unsteady hand. Glancing once more at the number he made his way down the street and looked at each painted number on the sidewalk in front of each house. 

It was eerie being in a place like this at this time of day. In any regular neighborhood houses would be filled with families as they finished their usual work or school days and spent the rest of the hours of the day together in some way unique to each. Usually there would be more lights both within the homes and without, but most of the houses weren't even finished. Only a few street lamps helped to illuminate the road before the monster, giving off a soft orange glow as the darkness of the evening continue to seep further through the area while the sun sunk deeper and deeper below the horizon. The only sounds in the area were the tapping of Gaster's shoes, the distant chirping of insects, and a single breeze as it brushed through the lingering leaves of the trees off in the distance. 

He found the matching number of the house to the piece of paper he gripped in his hand, staring at it for a few moments. Like most of the other houses in the area it looked to be in the middle of construction before efforts simply ceased and left it as it was. He was startled out of his staring when his phone rang, buzzing in his back pocket. 

"Welcome doctor." This voice was different. Low, dark, slightly raspy. "Nice to finally see you."

Gaster looked around at that, but he found no lights and no nearby cars to signal that anyone was close by. At least, none that he could see. So, he was being watched from a distance. The uncertainty that lingered within him got a dose of paranoia thrown in, turning into an uncomfortable mixture. 

"See that house in front of you? That is where you'll make your demonstration."

"What sort of demonstration?" he asked, nearly surprising himself with how steady his voice was in comparison to how he felt.

There was a chuckle on the other end of the line. The sound grated against Gaster in all the wrong ways. "Magic, of course. It's no surprise that monsters have easy access to magic. We'd like to see yours."

Gaster had a bad feeling about this. Nevertheless, he complied. He summoned as many phantom hands as his magic would safely allow, that being around six pairs--twelve additional hands--and let them move about freely as they orbited around him. One particular pair wrung themselves nervously while another pair were simply clenched tight. Each hand gave off his signature wisteria purple glow, softly illuminating his form against the orange of the street lamp just a few meters away. 

"Oh, come now, doctor," said the voice. "Don't take us for fools. We know that the magic of all monsters primarily serves an _offensive_ purpose."

He tensed. No...the only way his magic was used that way was through...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	29. Desperate, Not Foolish

_Sara idly turned the page to her textbook, finishing the paragraph that she was currently reading. Gaster sat beside her, leaning back against the cushions of the couch with his skull tilted back and his sockets closed while he thought. A summoned pair of hands calmly wrote down the thoughts that went through his head, shifting back and forth between sheets of printer paper he used for larger diagrams and his journal to note some observation or equation._

_It was a comfortable silence between the two of them. Small gestures of affection were shared between them, usually through their hands. And, right now, Gaster had his palm up to her so that the girl could slowly, gently, trace her fingertips around the hole in the center of it. Other gestures she would do would include brushing along the lengths of his phalanges, but for now she was content following the circle in his hand._

_"I still don't know why you have these holes in your hands, Gaster," she said quietly. He opened his eyes and looked at her, and she turned her head to look back at him. There was a look of understanding in her expression. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, though."_

_Gaster looked down at the hole in his palm thoughtfully. "No. I suppose you should know, but I cannot guarantee you will like the reason behind it."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_Gaster sighed, gathering his thoughts before speaking again. "By the time I was made Royal Scientist we monsters had been trapped underground for centuries. It was all we had come to know. We were getting desperate for a chance at freedom. So, I took it upon myself to do a...personal project, if you will. After finishing the Core I poured over ideas on how to possibly break the barrier."_

_Sara closed her textbook as he spoke, keeping her eyes on him and remaining respectfully quiet as he continued._

_"Because the barrier was created and sustained by magic I thought, perhaps, I could find a way to overload it and thus shatter it. And what better magic to control than my own? But, first I had to find a way to make my magic suit such a purpose. And in order to do that...I had to study myself."_

_Sara's expression was turning into one of worry as he continued. He didn't look at her but kept his focus on his hands, his own expression becoming slightly pained at the memory._

_"I extracted pieces of myself and used them for study. The rest I used as a source material to develop into...a weapon. There was no other way I could develop this adjustment to my magic in order to fulfill my plan. It had to be a weapon, it had to be able to direct large concentrations of magic into a single area."_

_"That sounds like a kind of gun..."_

_"In a way," he replied. He turned to look at her, his fist loosely clenched. He held his own expression of worry. "Sara, please do not be alarmed. I have full control and I would never hurt you."_

_Sara couldn't help but raise a single eyebrow at that. However, her expression quickly changed to that of terror as a low growl reverberated through the air and a massive skull appeared in mid-air. She scrambled back, away from the animal-like structure before her, nearly toppling off the edge of the couch in her panic and giving an involuntary yelp. It looked like some kind of dog skull, yet it had longer edges towards the back to look like spikes or horns. And within the dark sockets were pinpricks of wisteria purple light, the same color as Gaster's magic._

_"Sara, it's alright," Gaster said hastily, reaching out and gently grasping her wrist to keep her from teetering over the edge of the couch, as well as to keep her from further panicking. "It won't hurt you. It's an extension of my magic, I have full control over it. It--I--won't hurt you."_

_She had to take a few extra moments to catch her breath, resting her hand on her chest as she stared warily at the skull floating before her. She could feel the tingle of his magic practically radiating from it, the sensation teasing her skin. Within its closed jaw she saw another glow of Gaster's purple tinted magic._

_"That's what you used to attack the barrier?" she asked quietly._

_"Yes. After successfully creating one, I then made more from the samples of myself in hopes that their combined power would be enough to break the barrier."_

_"How many did you make?"_

_Gaster's expression darkened. "Too many...or too few, depending on how you look at it." Sara looked at him worriedly, but he continued before she could ask what he meant by that, the skull vanishing entirely. "Once they were ready I went to the barrier. My hypothesis was that the seven sources of magic keeping it there were pooling together to act as one source." He paused. "I was wrong."_

_He began to look downcast as he recalled the event clearly within his mind. He had such expectations, such hopes that it would work. He recalled the sound of each individual Blaster growling, charging, as he poured his magic into each one and then the reverberating boom as they fired. And then came the disappointment, the disbelief._

_"Rather than acting as one source I thought I could overpower, they resonated individually. I tried over and over again...I wore myself to exhaustion and I had made no progress whatsoever. I had failed." He looked defeated as Sara reached out and grasped his hands. Within her eyes was the look of compassion that he had come to appreciate. His expression eased as he looked back at her._

_"After that, I resumed my work at the Core." He twisted his hands to have them facing palm up, making Sara's own rest gently on top of the open hole in each. "Now you know that story as well. The reason for these...marks."_

_"I remember a while ago you had mentioned how science, your research, sometimes made demands of you," Sara said as her fingertips traced the circles in his hands. "That was incredibly brave of you." She then reached out and slipped her fingers between his, gently grasping them. "What you did was for the sake of freedom. You did what you thought you had to in order to achieve that."_

_Gaster's expression softened at her touch and her words. He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. He gave her hands a light squeeze. "Thank you, Sara, for always being so understanding. For always being so kind." He was then rewarded with a kiss to his cheek._

• • •

There was no way he would willingly use his Blasters. There was no need for them, in comparison to the far less straining magic of his phantom hands. Both of his actual hands clenched, one curling into a tight fist while the other gripped at his phone. Even his own phantom hands began to curl into fists clearly showing how tense he was currently feeling. Their glow flickered and dimmed, holding for a moment longer before they vanished one-by-one. 

"We don't have all night doctor," came the voice on the other end of the line. There was an edge in this masculine voice that warned Gaster to not try his patience. 

It was just an empty house, right? His compliance ensured Sara's safety, didn't it? If his doing this meant she'd even be returned to him, wouldn't it be worth it? She was so much more important. He just had the nagging fear in the back of his mind that, by continuing to use Sara against him, they would continue to force him into situations he didn't want to be in.

He closed his eyes and brought his head down, not liking in the least being made to do this. As he did so two large canine-like skulls appeared on either side of him, giving low growls that nearly made the ground beneath his feet tremble. Already the lights in their eyes were beginning to dim while the source of light within their jaws grew brighter as Gaster began to charge the Blasters. There was chuckle on the other end of the call. Whoever was speaking to him was apparently impressed, but Gaster couldn't take it and hung up. Wisteria purple light began to illuminate the area around the two skulls as they opened their mouths, ready to fire. 

He was just about to let the Blasters fire when his phone buzzed in his hand and looked down to see he got a text message. Though the sender said 'Sara' Gaster knew better. His expression became pained as he read the single question for him.

_"How many more?"_

He wanted to yell, to cry out and unleash the fury of his Blasters on whoever was doing this to him. But with no clear target other than the house before him he resigned himself to summoning more Blasters before him. The growls rippled low and deep in the air as one appeared after the other until he had brought forth as many as he thought would appease whoever was watching, but certainly not all that he had ever made. 

His phone buzzed again. Another message. 

_"Impressive. Destroy it."_

The whole area around Gaster was alight with purple. If there was anyone nearby they would have felt a charge like static electricity teasing their body, hanging in the air waiting for the right moment to shock as it would discharge. Gaster took one more look ahead of him, focusing on the half constructed house before all the collected magic within the jaws of each Blaster was released. 

• • •

"Do you guys hear that?" Russ asked, looking up and around quizzically. 

"Hear what?" Sara asked in reply.

"Shh, listen."

The three stilled, straining their ears to listen more closely to whatever it was that the boy had caught onto. It took a moment, but, indeed, there was some kind of sound that seemed to come from outside. It was low and deep, making the thinner beams of wood, and the more tightly fitted beams, creak and groan. It was an echo that each felt all the day down to their bones which brought them a sense of fear as to what it was. 

Russ and Sara gazed at each other nervously while Clark kept his eyes focused elsewhere as if trying to visualize and pinpoint which direction the sound was coming from. There was a seriousness in his expression that neither youth had seen before. The muscles in the man's arms tensed, as did the rest of his body, preparing himself for something although none knew what. 

All three of them startled when a sound like thunder broke the nervous silence between them. An instant later the house shook as sounds of destruction echoed above them along with the still resonating boom of that thunderous sound. 

Instinct kicked in as Russ and Sara cried out in a mixture of surprise and terror. The supports for the ceiling above them began to collapse as the upper floors fell down, while the support beams holding it all up groaned and began to snap. It was a cacophony of ruin as the house was steadily being brought down. 

Sara's heart was hammering in her chest as she feared for her life. She didn't want to die, but everything was falling down on her. Splinters of wood flew through the air as beams broke apart, wires snapped, and piping fell apart as they were ripped from their connections. Sections of the ceiling came down and crashed onto the cement flooring, scattering the debris from the upper floors. 

"Sara! Russ!" Clark cried out, leaping from where he was towards them as he noticed another section above them about to come down on top of them both.

She braced herself for anything: to be knocked out, crushed, or killed with her whole body tense, but nothing happened. Instead, behind her eyes which she had screwed shut there was a flash of light. The house continued to collapse on top of them, yet none of the debris hit the three of them. 

"Clark!" she exclaimed as she saw a pale, icy blue light shining from his chest and a similarly colored dome surrounding them. Anything that fell down on top of them came to an abrupt stop and was repelled away. 

"Dude, what--!"

"Don't move!" the man yelled over the noise.

Sara trembled, part of her still worried that Clark's magic would falter and the weight of the house above them could come down. And from the strained expression on the man's face, it seemed like it was still a likely possibility; already he was beginning to sweat and his whole body was tense as he maintained the shield. 

With the echos of the thunderous boom and the near screeching of the house falling apart beginning to fade there also came a sense of relief between the three of them at the realization that they were still alive. Things still shifted as the remains of the house settled but they hadn't been crushed under it all. 

Clark took a few deep breaths, regaining a little more of his strength before he forced his magic upward like he was trying to bring a barbell above his head. Having survived the initial collapse he now had the intent to get them out from under the debris and back to safety.

• • •

Gaster released a breath he didn't realize he was holding in when he watched the last of the house fall apart. It had caused a screeching sound too similar to that of a person screaming and the sound caused an unnerving chill to travel up his spine. He watched as the cloud of dust plumed from the home's foundation, scattering particles into the air that gave a grainy appearance to whatever light source there was around him. 

His Blasters vanished one-by-one until the lights and growls from them were gone entirely, leaving the air eerily silent again and with an even heavier feel to it than before. He stood there, waiting for some sort of message as the silence only made him feel nervous as to what was being planned for him now. 

But then he saw a pale blue glow steadily rising from the debris. 

His sockets widened. "By the Delta rune...Hello?! Is somebody alive down there?!" he cried out as he was about to run forward. 

"Stay put," came a voice not far behind him. When had someone come up on him? But, considering his focus ahead of him as well as the noise from the collapsing house it shouldn't have been as surprising. 

Gaster turned to look over his shoulder. A figure, male, was half obscured by the shadows of the night. However, he saw enough of the figure to see that there was a gun in his hand, and that it was pointed at him. 

"...ster? Gaster!" a voice cried out faintly from under the rubble. 

There was a look of horror on his face as he turned towards the sound. "Sara...?" He suddenly tensed as he felt the barrel of the gun tap against his skull.

"We said to destroy the place. That means everything inside," hissed the armed man behind him. 

"She--There are people in there! You would allow yourselves to kill innocents?"

"Their deaths serve a purpose. Now kill them."

He watched as three figures struggled to emerge from the mess of wood and metal. An older man was the first to push through it all, surprising the monster by revealing himself to be the one providing the glow due to his own magic serving as protection. Through the darkness he could still notice the fair hair that belonged to Sara, along with another youth. 

"Don't fool yourself, you undead looking freak. Kill. Them."

Gaster's eyes never left Sara's form as she and the other two continued to struggle out of the debris. He had already been forced to do something he didn't want to do. The last thing he would ever do would be an attempt on Sara's safety--on her life. He felt the barrel of the gun press harder against him. 

"You're wrong," he replied to the man behind him. "I'm desperate, but I am not foolish."

Spectral hands appeared suddenly, one grabbing at the collar of the man and yanking him away from Gaster while another struck at the side of the gun to knock it away. He just barely missed getting shot as the gun fired when the man involuntarily pulled the trigger in his surprise. 

"Gaster!" Sara cried out once more, fearing that he had been shot.

At that moment the police appeared. 

Officers charged Gaster's assailant and quickly bound him in cuffs; others went to Sara, Clark, and Russ to see to any wounds as well as free them from their bonds. Down the street, coming from another house, was a ruckus as the rest of the team stormed the hideout of Zero Ground's particular group of supporters. Lights flashed through the windows, yells and authoritative commands echoed into the air along with a few pops of gunfire. But, the scuffle ended quickly as the police took the group's members into custody. 

Gaster's pleading to the police days ago had proven fruitful. Sara's sudden disappearance--her kidnapping--was in line with a series of kidnappings that had been occurring over the past few months, as every person who had been taken was involved in some way with monsters. He had kept in touch with the authorities, especially after receiving his instructions to travel to such a location as this. They then had kept themselves hidden while Gaster had been forced to comply to Zero Ground's demands so that, when least expected, they could capture every possible member.

Shouting his name once more Sara nearly tripped over the remains of the house as she ran towards him. She winced and pressed her hands to her side, still feeling the ache from her injuries, but she kept going forward. He, in turn, attempted to rush towards her as well but found himself weak and so collapsed to his knees. He was relieved that she was alive, but guilt bore heavily upon him with the knowledge that he had nearly been the cause of her death. The thought of her lying broken and bloody beneath the rubble, at his hand, broke him. He wept. 

Nevertheless, Sara threw her arms around him, kneeling down with him. She gripped tightly at his shirt while her shoulders shook, shedding her own tears as she was overcome with her own sense of relief. She felt him bring his arms around her, his bones rattling, and embraced her tightly as if afraid she would suddenly disappear on him. 

"I'm so sorry, Sara. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he chanted quietly, his voice shaking. 

"I'm right here, it's okay. It's okay. I'm right here," she chanted in return.

Neither dared to let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	30. Respite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, sorry. Now that the major issue has been resolved, there is yet one more bump in the road for Gaster and Sara to overcome...

It took some pleading from Sara, as well as her friends and Gaster's colleagues, but the monster wasn't charged for his actions. Instead, they let him go on the case that what he had done was under duress; although, the authorities warned him that any further use of the magic he displayed then would get him jailed as quickly as the members of Zero Ground they had caught.

Interrogations from the criminals proved that they had planned to use Gaster as a means to incite society to lash out against monsters. They had, in fact, filmed him bringing the house down while they gave false panic over the fact that people were inside. Apparently Zero Ground had planned on sharing the video anonymously in order to incite human hate against monsters by proving that they were dangerous. Thankfully, that video would never see the light of day and instead would remain as evidence against the members of the anti-monster group. 

Shortly after that the first snow came. It fell gently on the branches of trees, collecting there whether or not there were any leaves. The dusting of white made the thickets and forests appear to be covered in sweet frosting, making the trees look more like treats, especially as the end of November rolled into the start of December. It fell gently upon the earth, hiding the ground beneath and creating a brand new world on top.

The more it snowed, the more it seemed as though the world was trying to help bury recent events from thought and memory. 

Soon enough everything was topped with a blanket of snow. With it came a kind of silence that couldn't be heard at any other point in the year. It was a slightly weighted silence, but not bothersome to any who stopped to appreciate it as they would watch the snowflakes fall from pale, gray-blue skies above. It was a kind of silence that demanded a moment's worth of attention and then lingered upon any who remained in the cold. 

Gaster had to return to work, and Sara had to return to her classes, but the days leading up to that allowed the two of them to once again take comfort and solace in each other's presence, as well as for Sara to recover. Similarly to the events after the attack on the bakery their souls were exposed to each other, and they soaked in the emotions that resonated from one another, further deepening the bond of trust and understanding for how each other felt during their time of trial. Gaster had refused to let Sara far from his sight, and his side, during those days. Sara had refused to let herself wander far from him, in turn, taking comfort in every aspect of him: his touch, the tingle of his magic, as well as the hum of it through his bones as she remained close. 

When Gaster did finally have to return to working at the lab he was all the more intent to ensure that relations between himself and the rest of the team were at their best. He had no desire to see further hate or prejudice between humans and monsters while he strove to ensure the best possible results of his research and projects for the sake of both species. His team, thankfully, remained ever supportive. 

Sara kept mostly to herself when she returned to campus. Due to what had happened to her, her absence from classes were excused. Even a couple of her professors simply let the assignments for those days go with full marks. They couldn't expect her to be fully focused on coursework after an experience like that. She was grateful that they understood. 

All the while Chloe stuck to her like glue. She toned down some of her usual energy for a little while, but figured that her friend needed all the enthusiasm and encouragement she could offer. So, she was back to her usual self not long after that. Sara was also grateful for that as it gave her a sense of normalcy again, helping her to return to the way things were before.

But not everything did. 

Evan had been one of the members of Zero Ground who was caught that day. Charged on the crimes of assault and abduction he was quickly put in jail with the high likelihood of him spending many years behind bars. This was made worse by his willingly working alongside Zero Ground which, according to the police, was considered a criminal organization. 

So, although Sara returned, Evan did not. It was a relief to the girl knowing that he, and many others, would not trouble or harm others for a long time. The first to notice Evan's continuing absence was Cassy, who turned to Sara first despite them not having really talked since Halloween. Nevertheless, she and Sara found a moment to talk between classes in a quiet spot beside the building which housed the English courses. 

"He's not coming back, Cassy," Sara said solemnly. Her former friend had nearly bombarded her with similar questions of her boyfriend's whereabouts.

"Back from where?"

She brought her mismatched eyes up and gazed straight into Cassy's own eyes. "He's in jail, Cassy. He was part of Zero Ground. He threatened me. He kidnapped me. Try tried to have me killed..."

"No..." Cassy's voice was soft with shock and disbelief.

A pause developed between them, neither knowing what else to say. What else could be said? Eventually, Sara sighed and broke the silence as she spoke up again. 

"I'm sorry things turned out this way." 

That was all she could manage to say. To say anything more seemed unnecessary. Once the words were spoken she quietly excused herself and walked away. Like the last time she walked away from Cassy she didn't look back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	31. The Sweetest Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not a lot of dialogue in this particular chapter, but there is a whole lot of fluff. Watch for cavities. (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)

Gaster's cheekbones were glowing softly with their usual wisteria purple yet he had an affectionate, even fairly amused, smile on his face. He held his head still, tilted slightly upwards so that Sara could reach up and make sure his tie was done right. 

He had never learned for himself how to tie one as his wardrobe prior to this event never called for one, so he was at a bit of a loss. Sara was familiar with the gestures on how to tie a tie due to her having watched her father and brother as she grew up, but she never memorized the motions for herself. So, here they were, standing before each other, as Sara fiddled with Gaster's tie as she would glance to the side over and over again to reference the image on her cell phone depicting how to tie a tie. Eventually she managed to get the silky fabric to slide into place around his neck with a sigh of relief, looking pleased with herself. 

"Not too tight?"

"No. You did well, Sara. Thank you," he replied as he folded the collar of his shirt over. 

Sara couldn't help but watch as Gaster then shrugged on his vest with a fluid motion as he rolled his shoulders, then buttoned it closed. Once that was in place he slid the blazer on top, finishing his look. She smiled as she thought to herself that he looked quite dashing in his three-piece suit. It was all a fair gray color; his white shirt, and dark, rich purple colored tie were the pop of color to his wardrobe. 

Her own formal dress was also simplistic in its color scheme. The top half of her dress was a crisp white like newly fallen snow, while the lower half was a silky black color. The thing she liked best about her dress was the fact that pockets were discreetly added to either side, although they proved useful for holding only a few trinkets. Her choice of accessories were a jeweled bracelet on her wrist and silver dangles hanging from her ears. And although it had taken longer than she liked, she had managed to pull her hair up into a sleek and refined bun.

It was important that the two of them dressed well for the occasion, since Lulu and George were finally getting married. 

Sara had known what the date would be for some time, but it was nearly a month ago that she got the formal notice in the mail. The invitation was beautiful; text in a looping cursive that was slightly raised against the paper and reflected the light subtly with its silver color. On the backside were the engagement photos of the rabbit and her human husband-to-be. Both wore such gentle expressions of love it had almost made Sara give an amused gag. And yet, there was a part of her that was happy to see her friend look so happy and content. 

"It will certainly be an experience for me to witness a couple getting married," Gaster commented as he straightened out his blazer. He then reached down to get his coat which hung over the back of the couch. 

"It's quiet and romantic, usually. The actual ceremony will include them taking on vows, although there is the possibility they'll want to add in a few words of their own. After the vows are said, they seal it all with a kiss and walk off as newlyweds. After that comes the reception, which is really just a big party to celebrate."

Gaster couldn't help but chuckle. "So much ado when it comes to weddings."

"Yeah, it's kind of a big deal."

She then went to collect her heels, put on one last spray of perfume, and grab her coat before the two of them headed out to watch the happy couple tie the knot.

• • •

It was a quiet and romantic ceremony as Sara had guessed. There, surprisingly, were not a lot of people there for the ceremony itself. This was mostly due to the fact that Lulu wanted to keep the most important part of the wedding between those closest to her. Sara felt privileged with knowing how the rabbit considered her that special of a friend.

The wedding happened on the grounds of a manor that could be rented out for special occasions, such as weddings like Lulu and George's, or for other large-scale parties. The couple had rented out only the first floor for the whole of the event, allowing plenty of room for guests to wander around the rooms. The largest room was set up with a line of tables to serve as a buffet for the catered lunch that would be served afterwards. The whole first floor was decorated in the couple's choice of color as well: silver, ice blue, and white. Bundles of white roses wrapped in silver accented the tables draped in pale blue cloth, while glass and crystal ornaments in the shape of snowflakes were hung on the wall or from the chandeliers overhead. 

The expansive yard out back where the actual ceremony happened was, thankfully, covered by canopies. Snow had been cleared to allow seating of the guests as well as for Lulu to happily make her way down the aisle. But, when a soft breath of wind drifted in the right direction it sent a light flurry of white through the guests. In the background, on the edge of the property, trees laden with snow would discard some of their load and create a brief cascade of powder as the snow fully fell to the ground.

The rabbit simply looked radiant in her gown. In her paws was a bouquet of white roses and baby's breath, each little flower resembling snowflakes when compared to the scene around them. An ice blue ribbon wrapped around the middle of Lulu's dress, and the remaining length draped behind her in a train. Sara couldn't help but smile happily once Lulu appeared, but even then her smile couldn't match the one George was making. The moment his eyes landed on her he bore a grin that stretched from ear to ear. 

As the two made their vows Sara remained smiling while Gaster looked on with his eyes bright with interest. Quietly their hands moved together as if knowing when the other would act and intertwined their fingers. Gaster enjoyed the warmth of Sara's touch; Sara enjoyed the hum of his magic as it seeped past her skin.

• • •

Things were much more lively after the ceremony. Doors leading outside were closed to deep the warm air within, but the front kept opening and closing as additional guests appeared to wish congratulations and happiness to the newlyweds. The air hummed with the constant chatter of people, both human and monster, occasionally punctuated with a good-natured laugh, as they went from room to room or remained clustered in hallways and corners.

Lulu gave Sara a hug when she approached. Sara noticed a subtle, flowery scent that lingered in the rabbit's fur along with a woody smell that made her think of lush forests. When she released the girl from her embrace she gave a gentle touch to her cheek with her paw.

"Thank you so much for coming," she said.

"Of course, Lu," Sara replied. "No way was I going to miss this."

"We really do appreciate that," said George as he stepped close and wrapped his arm around the rabbit's waist. "You're one of the few humans that Lu knows well, so she was always looking forward to seeing you here." Sara saw him give a warm smile, making his trimmed, graying beard shift with the upward curl of his mouth. Lulu reached up and gave his cheek an affectionate pat. 

Not wanting to hold up the line of well wishes for the couple Sara gave them her own congratulations before meeting up with Gaster again, who had been off chatting with a few monsters. He was off in another room that looked like it had served as a parlor room back when the manor was still lived in. She couldn't help but appreciate the little touches of decoration that adorned each room helping to bring everything together. Gaster noticed as she approached him and held out his arm to her to have her stand at his side. Once there his hand rested lightly on her back. Her own arm reached out and did the same.

• • •

Dancing was the most fun. Monsters proved to be quite amusing when it came to dancing, letting loose and doing all sorts of odd combinations of movements that people couldn't help but laugh. George practically roared with laughter as he watched a wolf-like monster throw down moves, but then have to stop and scratch himself, while to the beat of the music. Slow songs, however, were perfect for cute moments between all the couples attending the reception.

It did take some convincing her part but Sara managed to get Gaster to join her on the dance floor for a few of those slow songs, since he argued that he wasn't much of a dancer. He was grateful a moment later when he learned that dancing to slow songs really meant just swaying back and forth in a tight circle. It was peaceful as he moved with Sara, one hand against her shoulderblade while the other gently grasped her own hand. At one point Sara pulled her hand away just enough to be able to trace the circle in his palm with her fingertips. Her expression was soft and understanding. Gaster felt his soul thrum happily within him like a human heartbeat. 

And, of course, there was a special number for just the bride and groom. It was a slightly older song, but Sara still recognized it. It had a touch of jazz to the tune while the lyrics spoke of the romance and admiration the singer had for his love as a particular line of 'just the way you look' repeated through the song. Sara smiled as she watched Lulu and George sway about the open floor, holding to each other close with a near tangible sense of affection, dancing cheek to cheek. 

Following that was the flower toss. Funny thing was that, despite all the taller figures around and numerous arms outstretched in anticipation for the cluster of flowers, it was a little mouse monster who caught the bouquet squeaking in delight. Nevertheless all the other ladies were well behaved about it. 

Gaster turned purple, however, when it came to the garter toss. Lulu couldn't stop giggling as George slid his hands under her dress. Part of her giggling uncontrollably was partly due to the fact that George was having too much fun tickling her up the length of her leg until his fingers found the desired item. Some of the men gave whoops when the groom waved the garter around while Gaster's cheekbones only glowed more vibrantly as he thought about where it had just been and how it had been removed. 

And then came time to cut the cake as well as the speeches to be made by those closest to the happy couple. Lulu and George did try to get their cut pieces into each other's mouths but there was still a bit of frosting that got onto their lips, or fur in her case. Neither seemed to mind as they kissed afterwards. When the speeches started, the first to rise was George's brother who said that he, along with the rest of the family, were more than happy to see how happy George was himself after meeting Lulu. And, as a thanks for her bringing love back into his life, the groom's brother offered a closed envelope to the bride. She looked curious as she opened it while her husband looked like he was anticipating something. Lulu's eyes widened as she gasped. Her eyes misted over and she drew her husband into a hug. She then turned the item around, revealing it to be a picture.

"The bakery's almost fully rebuilt! Oh, George, I thought it wouldn't be ready for another three months."

"That's what we wanted you to believe," he replied. "The bakery will be ready to open again just after New Years."

Applause and cheers rang out through the rooms. Lulu gave her husband another hug and a long kiss in gratitude for what he and his family had done for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The version of [ Just the Way You Look Tonight ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCXLDzmSSd8) comes from one of my favorite movies, Father of the Bride. Have a listen~
> 
> Thank you, everyone, for reading my story so far!  
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~
> 
> 'till next time~


	32. A Priceless Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost there, dear readers! Just one last chapter!  
> Here's that one last bump in the road for Gaster and Sara to overcome before things finally come to an end.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, as the old song went. Gaster chuckled, amused, as Sara sang along with the assortment of Christmas songs that played through her radio, letting herself find her own amusement in it. They drove through a light flurry of feathery, powdery snow heading for the neighboring state where Sara's family lived. It was custom, as it was with most families, for the Rhodes to come together during the holidays, catch up on events that had happened over the year, and enjoy each other's presence. 

Although, tucked into the far back of Sara's mind was a constant worry. With what had gone on in the past few months and his choice of reaction to it Sara didn't look forward to facing her father.

• • •

The house was just as decorated as she hoped it would be. Wreaths hung from the windows facing the street, strings of lights illuminated the sapling trees that had replaced the previously large and gnarled ones that had overtaken the yard, and the newly fallen snow clung to the bushes around the house, as well as on the roof and on top of the other cars parked beside the house itself.

When they stepped inside Sara immediately knew that her mom had a scented candle burning as she took in a breath and recognized the smell of cinnamon as it blended with other scents to give that particular Christmas feel to the air. Deeper inside, tucked into the corner of the living room, was the tree itself as it glowed softly with white fairy lights. The tree was completely decorated with knick-knacks that she and her brother had made when they were children, as well as more elegant ornaments and balls that their mother chose to add, some of which were either made of the right material or given the right color to reflect the fairy lights deeper into the tree or back into the room. 

Beneath the tree was an already growing pile of presents. A childish thought that Sara never quite grew out of suddenly appeared in her mind like a kid playing in a ball pit. She just had to wonder which of those gifts sitting pretty under the tree with their wrapping and bows were meant for her. 

"Sara! Sara!" the little three year-old cried out in glee, toddling over to her aunt with arms open wide in an expectant hug. 

"Hi Avery," Sara replied, cooing a little at the adorable appearance of her niece. She squat down and opened her own arms wide as Avery went right into them, giving each other a hug. And then she hoisted up the little girl as she stood straight again, Avery instinctively wrapping her short legs around Sara's waist. 

"Oh, Sara, you made it," came a feminine voice from around the corner. Claire, Jake's wife, appeared from where she had been a moment ago with a warm smile on her face. Sara noticed that she must have gotten a haircut because the girl didn't remember her sister-in-law having that short of hair before. It was a simple bob, hanging just to her chin. 

"Yeah, there was a little snow as we were driving, so it slowed us down a bit."

"Us? Oh, did you bring--"

"Yep."

Claire looked beyond Sara to see Gaster standing just behind the girl. As he usually did he had his hands held behind his back. Claire gave him another smile, warm as ever, and approached with an outstretched hand.

"Hi, it's nice to finally meet you. Gaster, was it? I'm Claire."

Gaster eased a bit at her friendliness and returned the gesture, shaking her hand. "A pleasure to meet you as well."

"You're really white!" Avery blurted out, breaking the conversation between the two, as she stared intently at the skeleton. "Are you a ghost? A ghost lives close to mommy and daddy."

He chuckled at the child. "No, I am a skeleton." 

"What's a skelg--sekl--seggli--What's that?" Avery asked, her face contorting into funny faces as she struggled to say the word before giving up entirely. Gaster's expression remained amused, and he gave a gentle smile to both the child as well as Sara's own look entertainment as she looked between the two.

"He's a monster!" Jake appeared suddenly, grabbing his daughter from Sara's arms, and tickling under the toddler's arms making the girl squeal with laughter. 

"Oh, hey, Jake," Sara chuckled. 

Jake remained occupied for another moment longer, doing the silly things a father would with their child before he lifted Avery up to allow her to sit around the back of his neck. His large hands gently held the toddler's ankles for security. "Hey Sara," he replied, still smiling like a goof. 

"Oh! Is my baby girl finally here?" Sara rolled her eyes in amusement at the tone of her mother's voice. A woman appeared from further inside the house and went straight to the girl, giving her own daughter a tight hug of welcome. "Welcome home, sweetheart."

"Hi mom," Sara said, her voice soft with affection. 

"And you must be this Doctor Gaster she spoke of," she continued after pulling away from Sara. 

"I am. A pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise. I'm Laura." Laura then gave a beckoning gesture to the collective group at the front door. "Come on inside. Claire and I were in the middle of making dinner. We'll be serving it up in about an hour."

"What's for dinner?" Sara asked, excited as she followed the other women into the kitchen.

Gaster remained with Jake, however. Setting his daughter back onto the floor to let her play with the toys scattered across the carpet he and the monster sat themselves down to chat, watch Avery, or just listen to the sound of movement around them from the family gathering. Gaster was grateful at how laid-back Jake was and the two struck up conversation easily without feeling awkward or forced. He felt that Sara's brother had a similar soul to her own. 

The only one missing from the get-together was the patriarch of the family. He, however, stood just out of sight while still keeping a view of the rest of the house before him. His mouth pulled down into a scowl when his eyes landed on the tall, lanky form of Gaster.

• • •

Dinner was a awkward. Sara's father, Duncan, wasn't subtle in his displays of dislike towards the monster. He seemed intent to always keep an unusual amount of attention on Gaster to the point where even the skeleton himself would wither a bit under the man's gaze. However, Gaster would be comforted by Sara's touch or glance, which in turn only earned the two of them even more disapproving looks. In fact, it seemed as though everyone else in the family tried to keep things going normally by either asking some question for someone at the table or relating something funny. Those moments of levity helped to make dinner that much more bearable.

But Duncan was persistent. As the days drew ever nearer towards Christmas the more he would glare, grumble, or just make a rude comment about monsters while in Gaster's presence. This, unfortunately, also meant he would say such things in the presence of one or more members of the family, which would earn him their own disapproval or some sort of retort. It was putting a damper on the usually cheery atmosphere and nobody was liking it. More and more often the two heads of the family would excuse themselves, usually by Laura's insistence, and have a less than hushed conversation in their room. Sara couldn't help but pause whenever she'd pass by the closed door and hear muffled speech from the other side. Her heart sank a little each time she heard them talking about her, Gaster, or the both of them together. 

By Christmas Eve things were at a boiling point. The air was tense whenever Duncan was around, and both Sara and Gaster were oddly quiet in his presence. But, they never stopped showing their affection for each other. In fact, the more tense things were the more often they would hold hands, stand side by side, give each other some form of a hug, or murmur quiet reassurance to one another. Such displays were wearing at the thin thread of patience Duncan had for that at this point. 

• • •

The girls had gone to the store, even taking little Avery with them, leaving just the men in the house when Duncan approached Gaster of his free will. The monster was writing notes at the time, jotting down his thoughts with the aid of his phantom hands. The sight of them made the family patriarch scowl again. Jake was nearby, his body sprawled out across the couch as he got a moment to nap, since taking care of a small child was tiring, especially a little spitfire like Avery. 

"Gaster..." Duncan's voice was low and grating. He drew out the monster's name as if it was physically uncomfortable to say the word. The skeleton glanced up, seeing him standing a short distance away in the hallway leading into another series of rooms. "May I have a word with you?"

Gaster quietly set his journal aside and then made his extra pair of hands vanish into thin air as he rose to his feet. He looked curious, as well as concerned, as he followed Sara's father deeper into the house. He was led into what looked to be an in-home office as the amount of furniture within was limited and the main focus was a cluttered desk and a currently unused laptop. Off to the side was a tall shelf full of books, magazines, and picture frames. When Duncan cleared his throat Gaster brought his attention back to the man, the glow in his eyes tight and focused as he intended to observe the man.

"I will be blunt with you," Duncan started, "I don't like your being here in my home. And, I'm upset that Sara would even think to bring you here. As far as I'm concerned you have no place in this family--my family." 

Gaster blinked. He certainly meant it when he said he would be blunt. "But you would have no qualms were I human?"

"No."

"What have I done to offend you?" Gaster asked. 

"You, along with the rest of your kind, are unnatural. You especially so. You're essentially a walking corpse and I've been made to watch you touch and linger around my daughter. It's disgusting." He spat the last word as if trying to expel rotted food caught in his mouth. 

"You are not the first to think so poorly of Sara's decisions. She has gone through enough recently. Would it not be best to be merciful? To allow this to pass and trust in her judgment?"

"How can I trust her judgment when those she chooses to associate with lead her into trouble? Was it not because of you monsters that she was threatened? Kidnapped? Hurt?" Duncan replied. 

Gaster tried to control his expressions, but he still winced at the man's words. This was also not the first time he had heard people falsely accuse monsters of being the cause of some sort of trouble. Sara never made that mistake; she always understood that it was humans who had some issue and thus made trouble. He sighed. 

"No. Monsters never threatened her, nor kidnapped her, or hurt her. It was your kind, humanity, who did that."

"Had she kept her own those things never would have happened."

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. She is still friendly and understanding towards us, and even that can cause others around her to raise some sort of ruckus in opposition. Unless she thought like you, which--thankfully--she does not, then she would have been spared."

"She ought to."

"That would go against her nature," Gaster countered, the memory of Sara's soul coming to the front of his mind. He could see, clearly, the gentle green light of it in his mind's eye. Even the thought of it gave him a sense of peace. "She is a kind soul, gentle and understanding. Her heart goes out to those she cares for, and she seeks only their happiness. I have seen it time and again."

"Silence yourself," Duncan said a low, dark tone. "I will not hear you speak of her as if you know her intimately."

"But I do," Gaster replied, his cheekbones beginning to glow despite himself. "I have seen her soul--the essence of who she is. And she willingly showed it to me. She let me into her life. She let me into her heart."

"Understand this," Duncan said, pointing an accusing finger at the skeleton, "I will never accept you. I will never approve of the two of you."

Gaster breathed deeply, pulling his shoulders back and standing a little taller. "With all due respect, I never sought for your approval. The only approval I seek is Sara's, and she has given it to me whole-heartedly. She is the greatest thing to ever happen to me, truly, and I don't dare lose her to anyone. I would willingly throw myself back into the void before I would let her go. And, if she would have me, I would stay by her side for the rest of forever. 

"If you insist on giving your disapproval, on keeping your support from her, then I will fill that place for you. I will gladly do it. She is worth every sacrifice--every effort--I could possibly make for the sake of her happiness."

Duncan's hand clenched, tightening into a fist, but he did nothing with it simply letting it tremble slightly in the air from how tense the muscles in his arms were locked. His dark eyes held a controlled fire in them as he took his own deep breath to control his rising anger at the monster. He brought his fist to his side and glared up at the skeleton. 

"She is, indeed, worth every sacrifice or effort. She's my daughter. Understand that I remain where I stand in my disapproval of you with her. But, if you're so intent, then I truly expect you to do everything in your power to keep her happy and safe. You dare hurt her in any way, or fail to protect her, and you will regret it."

Gaster nodded. "I understand."

• • •

By the time the girls came back Gaster had gotten some more time into writing in his journal. He had many new thoughts and notes that he needed to have written down and remembered. He smiled when he saw Sara walking in along with her sister-in-law and mother. They chatted between each other without a care in the world, dropping bags of food off in kitchen in order to prepare dinner for the night.

At one point in the food preparation Sara broke away and sat down next to Gaster. He slipped his hand into hers and intertwined their fingers. She leaned to the side and rested her head against his shoulder while he looked down at her with ever growing affection.

She truly was precious to him. Her presence gave him peace; her touch made him happy; her voice drew him in; her affection made him smile; and her soul made his own swell within him, making his magic hum through his bones. She had been a surprise to him, but one that he would never give up for anything in the world. He treasured her like a gift and during the season of gift giving, even if she gave him nothing at all, just being with her was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaster, ever the gentleman, gave a politely worded "screw you" to Sara's dad. ( ಠ ͜ʖರೃ)
> 
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~  
> 'till next time~


	33. With You

Even though Gaster and Duncan had come to an 'agreement' things remained tense between Sara and her father. The man still made known his displeasure in seeing the two of them together, so just after Christmas Sara and Gaster drove back to her apartment to spend the remaining days of their winter holiday between themselves. 

The drive back left Sara's car a little more full than before due to the amount of gifts she had received. Gaster still remained surprised that the more accepting members of her family thought to get him presents as well. He still had a laugh as he recalled reaching into a gift bag and pulling out packages of basic writing pens, since Sara mentioned often to her family that he was writing something in his notebooks. He had enough now that, even if he were to lose one every single day, the total number given him would still last a few months. Sara's favorite gift was a simple gift card to a bookstore, granting her one hundred dollars worth of shopping for whatever books she wanted.

Sara breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived back at her apartment and she stepped inside, tossing her bag into her room. As nice as it was to be with family there was always a nice feeling that came with returning to one's own place and being in control there. It was also nice to be able to fall immediately back into the routine shared between herself and Gaster. She felt more free when it was just the two of them together, leaving her feeling braver in showing him little signs of affection. Her heart would now give particularly strong beats within her chest whenever he returned the gestures, and she could feel her soul swell.

• • •

"Gonna be New Year's already," she murmured as the two of them sat together. She was cradled in his arms while their souls were exposed, the little hearts slowly circling each other as if they were being pulled along by an orbital force similar to the planets. She tilted her head back to look up at Gaster. "What do you want to do for it?"

"I don't know," he replied calmly. "I hadn't thought to celebrate it last year." He looked thoughtful for a moment, gazing ahead before looking back down at her. "What is it you've done in previous years?"

"Not a whole lot, really. I did go to a party or two, but it always got so rowdy around midnight." She smiled up at him. "I wouldn't mind having a quieter celebration, with you. How about it? Just you and me?"

His expression softened, the glow in his eyes brightening. He leaned down and nuzzled into her hair causing the girl the giggle. "I'd like that."

Their souls pulsed brightly in unison. 

And so it was. The two of them got select decorations of silver and gold to leave around the apartment and give the place a little bit more festive feel. They planned a special evening just between the two of them for how the night would lead up to midnight and the new year would roll around. The daytime hours included them doing whatever they pleased, which resulted in them bingeing on episode after episode of some science related show for Gaster, or a historical documentary for Sara. They had a late lunch in the same outdoor shopping mall as Lulu's bakery, which they passed by to see how the reconstruction was doing. Like George had said at the wedding it looked just about ready to open up again and looked even better than before, and Sara was glad for it; she looked forward to returning to the bakery.

By evening the two were back home and worked side by side to make a more extravagant dinner. Sara had been wanting to try the particular recipe for weeks, finding an excuse to make it tonight since it was New Year's Eve after all. There were a few times were Sara's face scrunched up with either confusion or focus as she worked her way through the steps to make the meal, but in the end, it was a success. It was a peaceful meal too as they sat out on the balcony, watching the last dying rays of sunlight fade away on the horizon as it transitioned from orange and magenta to various shades of dark blues and purples.

• • •

Five minutes.

The two stood side by side as they held each other's hand in anticipation for the signal of the new year. Similar to how things went for the Fourth of July fireworks would be shot off over the lake. But, unlike the fireworks during summer, these would be simply be white or golden colored with few fancy effects, just the noise to ring out the old and bring in the new. It would be a first time experience for both Sara and Gaster. Sara had heard a few times from other students how they would go out to the lake or watch from their own places as distant sparks exploded in the sky. 

"I look forward to this new year," Gaster said as he gave Sara's hand a squeeze. 

"Me too," she replied. "I'm hoping it's a better year than last."

"It will be. What do you look forward to?"

"Finishing up college, graduating, maybe look into a Master's program or get started on research of human and monster history." She looked up at him. "I want to help bring back the history our races had together. Maybe we'll discover something that dates even further back than before the barrier. I want to see books of monster history alongside our own texts of ancient times."

"Those are noble goals. I believe it will happen," he replied.

"What about you, Gaster? What do you look forward to for next year?"

He looked down at her fondly. "Simply spending it with you."

One minute.

She felt her face flush, warm in comparison to the chilly air, but she didn't break her gaze away from Gaster's. She gave a shy smile in return. "Maybe...more than just next year too."

Gaster smiled as he brought her hand up and touched the back of her hand to his mouth, kissing it and sending a tingling sensation down the length of her arm through her nerves. His kiss felt slightly different than before, as if he had an actual pair of soft human lips pressing against her skin. She assumed it was by magic. "I would spend all the remaining years of my life with you, Sara."

Sara drew in a long, shaky breath, then swallowed. She had been building up her courage all day for this moment, wanting, yearning, to echo out the words repeating in her heart and soul.

Ten seconds.

"I love you, Gaster."

"And I, you. I love you, Sara."

Rising up on her tiptoes, while he leaned over, the two met with a kiss. Sara felt the tingle of his magic pressing back against her lips allowing him to kiss her back. It was the most remarkable sensation she had ever felt. 

The moment after their lips met the first fireworks of the new year appeared in the distant sky. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that, as they say, is that. Thank you, everyone, who had read, left kudos, made a comment, bookmarked this story, or even just stopped by and made that hit counter go up by one! I truly am grateful that there have been so many of you who enjoyed this story, y'all are amazing! It's been a fun ride following their story, which swerved more than once from the original ideas I had, but good to see the characters take things the way they want. 
> 
> Keep an eye out, folks. I've got more stories in the works! 
> 
> Check out my [ TUMBLR ](http://jarofmayonnaise.tumblr.com/) to see what nonsense I like and reblog! Or, feel free to leave me a message~


End file.
